The invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans biosynthesizes ascorbate.

l-Ascorbate, commonly known as vitamin C, serves as an antioxidant and cofactor essential for many biological processes. Distinct ascorbate biosynthetic pathways have been established for animals and plants, but little is known about the presence or synthesis of this molecule in invertebrate species. We have investigated ascorbate metabolism in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, where this molecule would be expected to play roles in oxidative stress resistance and as cofactor in collagen and neurotransmitter synthesis. Using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, we determined that ascorbate is present at low amounts in the egg stage, L1 larvae, and mixed animal populations, with the egg stage containing the highest concentrations. Incubating C. elegans with precursor molecules necessary for ascorbate synthesis in plants and animals did not significantly alter ascorbate levels. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses did not support the presence in C. elegans of either the plant or the animal biosynthetic pathway. However, we observed the complete (13)C-labeling of ascorbate when C. elegans was grown with (13)C-labeled Escherichia coli as a food source. These results support the hypothesis that ascorbate biosynthesis in invertebrates may proceed by a novel pathway and lay the foundation for a broader understanding of its biological role

High-Intensity Radiated Field Fault-Injection Experiment for a Fault-Tolerant Distributed Communication System

Safety-critical distributed flight control systems require robustness in the presence of faults. In general, these systems consist of a number of input/output (I/O) and computation nodes interacting through a fault-tolerant data communication system. The communication system transfers sensor data and control commands and can handle most faults under typical operating conditions. However, the performance of the closed-loop system can be adversely affected as a result of operating in harsh environments. In particular, High-Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF) environments have the potential to cause random fault manifestations in individual avionic components and to generate simultaneous system-wide communication faults that overwhelm existing fault management mechanisms. This paper presents the design of an experiment conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center's HIRF Laboratory to statistically characterize the faults that a HIRF environment can trigger on a single node of a distributed flight control system

The 492 GHz emission of Sgr A* constrained by ALMA

We report linearly polarized continuum emission properties of Sgr A* at $\sim$492 GHz, based on the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations. We used the observations of the likely unpolarized continuum emission of Titan, and the observations of C\textsc{i} line emission, to gauge the degree of spurious polarization. The Stokes I flux of 3.6$\pm$0.72 Jy during our run is consistent with extrapolations from the previous, lower frequency observations. We found that the continuum emission of Sgr A* at $\sim$492 GHz shows large amplitude differences between the XX and the YY correlations. The observed intensity ratio between the XX and YY correlations as a function of parallactic angle may be explained by a constant polarization position angle of $\sim$158$^{\circ}$$\pm$3$^{\circ}$. The fitted polarization percentage of Sgr A* during our observational period is 14\%$\pm$1.2\%. The calibrator quasar J1744-3116 we observed at the same night can be fitted to Stokes I = 252 mJy, with 7.9\%$\pm$0.9\% polarization in position angle P.A. = 4.1$^{\circ}$$\pm$4.2$^{\circ}$. The observed polarization percentage and polarization position angle in the present work appear consistent with those expected from longer wavelength observations in the period of 1999-2005. In particular, the polarization position angle at 492 GHz, expected from the previously fitted 167$^{\circ}$$\pm$7$^{\circ}$ intrinsic polarization position angle and (-5.6$\pm$0.7)$\times$10$^{5}$ rotation measure, is 155$^{+9}_{-8}$, which is consistent with our new measurement of polarization position angle within 1$\sigma$. The polarization percentage and the polarization position angle may be varying over the period of our ALMA 12m Array observations, which demands further investigation with future polarization observations.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 1st referee report received and revise

HATNet Field G205: Follow-Up Observations of 28 Transiting-Planet candidates and Confirmation of the Planet HAT-P-8b

We report the identification of 32 transiting-planet candidates in HATNet field G205. We describe the procedures that we have used to follow up these candidates with spectroscopic and photometric observations, and we present a status report on our interpretation of the 28 candidates for which we have follow-up observations. Eight are eclipsing binaries with orbital solutions whose periods are consistent with their photometric ephemerides; two of these spectroscopic orbits are singled-lined and six are double-lined. For one of the candidates, a nearby but fainter eclipsing binary proved to be the source for the HATNet light curve, due to blending in the HATNet images. Four of the candidates were found to be rotating more rapidly than vsini = 50 km/s and were not pursued further. Thirteen of the candidates showed no significant velocity variation at the level of 0.5 to 1.0 km/s . Seven of these were eventually withdrawn as photometric false alarms based on an independent reanalysis using more sophisticated tools. Of the remaining six, one was put aside because a close visual companion proved to be a spectroscopic binary, and two were not followed up because the host stars were judged to be too large. Two of the remaining candidates are members of a visual binary, one of which was previously confirmed as the first HATNet transiting planet, HAT-P-1b. In this paper we confirm that the last of this set of candidates is also a a transiting planet, which we designate HAT-P-8b, with mass Mp = 1.52 +/- 0.18/0.16 Mjup, radius Rp = 1.50 +/- 0.08/0.06 Rjup, and photometric period P = 3.076320 +/- 0.000004 days. HAT-P-8b has an inflated radius for its mass, and a large mass for its period. The host star is a solar-metallicity F dwarf, with mass M* = 1.28 +/- 0.04 Msun and Rp = 1.58 +/- 0.08/0.06 Rsun.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 13 table

Global Analysis of Predicted G Protein-Coupled Receptor Genes in the Filamentous Fungus, Neurospora crassa.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate facets of growth, development, and environmental sensing in eukaryotes, including filamentous fungi. The largest predicted GPCR class in these organisms is the Pth11-related, with members similar to a protein required for disease in the plant pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. However, the Pth11-related class has not been functionally studied in any filamentous fungal species. Here, we analyze phenotypes in available mutants for 36 GPCR genes, including 20 Pth11-related, in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. We also investigate patterns of gene expression for all 43 predicted GPCR genes in available datasets. A total of 17 mutants (47%) possessed at least one growth or developmental phenotype. We identified 18 mutants (56%) with chemical sensitivity or nutritional phenotypes (11 uniquely), bringing the total number of mutants with at least one defect to 28 (78%), including 15 mutants (75%) in the Pth11-related class. Gene expression trends for GPCR genes correlated with the phenotypes observed for many mutants and also suggested overlapping functions for several groups of co-transcribed genes. Several members of the Pth11-related class have phenotypes and/or are differentially expressed on cellulose, suggesting a possible role for this gene family in plant cell wall sensing or utilization

The Carnegie Supernova Project. I. Third Photometry Data Release of Low-redshift Type Ia Supernovae and Other White Dwarf Explosions

We present final natural-system optical (ugriBV) and near-infrared (YJH) photometry of 134 supernovae (SNe) with probable white dwarf progenitors that were observed in 2004-2009 as part of the first stage of the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP-I). The sample consists of 123 Type Ia SNe, 5 Type Iax SNe, 2 super-Chandrasekhar SN candidates, 2 Type Ia SNe interacting with circumstellar matter, and 2 SN 2006bt-like events. The redshifts of the objects range from to 0.0835; the median redshift is 0.0241. For 120 (90%) of these SNe, near-infrared photometry was obtained. Average optical extinction coefficients and color terms are derived and demonstrated to be stable during the five CSP-I observing campaigns. Measurements of the CSP-I near-infrared bandpasses are also described, and near-infrared color terms are estimated through synthetic photometry of stellar atmosphere models. Optical and near-infrared magnitudes of local sequences of tertiary standard stars for each supernova are given, and a new calibration of Y-band magnitudes of the Persson et al. standards in the CSP-I natural system is presented.Fil: Krisciunas, Kevin. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Contreras, Carlos. University Aarhus; Dinamarca. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Burns, Christopher R.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Phillips, M. M.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Stritzinger, Maximilian D.. Las Campanas Observatory; Chile. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Morrell, Nidia Irene. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Hamuy, Mario. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Anais, Jorge. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Boldt, Luis. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Busta, Luis. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Campillay, Abdo. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Castellón, Sergio. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Folatelli, Gaston. Las Campanas Observatory; Chile. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Freedman, Wendy L.. University of Chicago; Estados UnidosFil: González, Consuelo. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Hsiao, Eric Y.. Florida State University; Estados Unidos. University Aarhus; Dinamarca. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Krzeminski, Wojtek. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Persson, Sven Eric. Carnegie Observatories;Fil: Roth, Miguel. Gmto Corporation; Chile. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Salgado, Francisco. Leiden Observatory Research Institute; . Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Serón, Jacqueline. Las Campanas Observatory; Chile. Cerro Tololo Inter American Observatory; ChileFil: Suntzeff, Nicholas B.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Torres, Simón. Soar Telescope; Chile. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Filippenko, Alexei V.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Li, Weidong. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Madore, Barry F.. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute Of Technology; . Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: DePoy, D.L.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Marshall, Jennifer L.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Rheault, Jean Philippe. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Villanueva, Steven. Texas A&M University; Estados Unidos. Ohio State University; Estados Unido

Sample designs and sampling methods for the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies (CPES)

This paper provides an overview of the probability sample designs and sampling methods for the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies (CPES): the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), the National Study of American Life (NSAL) and the National Latino and Asian American Study of Mental Health (NLAAS). The multi-stage sample design and respondent selection procedures used in these three studies are based on the University of Michigan Survey Research Center's National Sample designs and operations. The paper begins with a general overview of these designs and procedures and then turns to a more detailed discussion of the adaptation of these general methods to the three specific study designs. The detailed discussions of the individual study samples focus on design characteristics and outcomes that are important to analysts of the CPES data sets and to researchers and statisticians who are planning future studies. The paper describes how the expected survey cost and error structure for each of these surveys influenced the original design of the samples and how actual field experience led to changes and adaptations to arrive at the final samples of each survey population. Copyright © 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34225/1/179_ftp.pd

Exoplanet Characterization by Proxy: A Transiting 2.15 R_⊕ Planet near the Habitable Zone of the Late K Dwarf Kepler-61

We present the validation and characterization of Kepler-61b: a 2.15 R_⊕ planet orbiting near the inner edge of the habitable zone of a low-mass star. Our characterization of the host star Kepler-61 is based upon a comparison with a set of spectroscopically similar stars with directly measured radii and temperatures. We apply a stellar prior drawn from the weighted mean of these properties, in tandem with the Kepler photometry, to infer a planetary radius for Kepler-61b of 2.15 ± 0.13 R_⊕ and an equilibrium temperature of 273 ± 13 K (given its period of 59.87756 ± 0.00020 days and assuming a planetary albedo of 0.3). The technique of leveraging the physical properties of nearby "proxy" stars allows for an independent check on stellar characterization via the traditional measurements with stellar spectra and evolutionary models. In this case, such a check had implications for the putative habitability of Kepler-61b: the planet is 10% warmer and larger than inferred from K-band spectral characterization. From the Kepler photometry, we estimate a stellar rotation period of 36 days, which implies a stellar age of >1 Gyr. We summarize the evidence for the planetary nature of the Kepler-61 transit signal, which we conclude is 30,000 times more likely to be due to a planet than a blend scenario. Finally, we discuss possible compositions for Kepler-61b with a comparison to theoretical models as well as to known exoplanets with similar radii and dynamically measured masses