Genetic and multi-omic resources for Alzheimer disease and related dementia from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center

The Knight-Alzheimer Disease Research Center (Knight-ADRC) at Washington University in St. Louis has pioneered and led worldwide seminal studies that have expanded our clinical, social, pathological, and molecular understanding of Alzheimer Disease. Over more than 40 years, research volunteers have been recruited to participate in cognitive, neuropsychologic, imaging, fluid biomarkers, genomic and multi-omic studies. Tissue and longitudinal data collected to foster, facilitate, and support research on dementia and aging. The Genetics and high throughput -omics core (GHTO) have collected of more than 26,000 biological samples from 6,625 Knight-ADRC participants. Samples available include longitudinal DNA, RNA, non-fasted plasma, cerebrospinal fluid pellets, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The GHTO has performed deep molecular profiling (genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and metabolomic) from large number of brain (n = 2,117), CSF (n = 2,012) and blood/plasma (n = 8,265) samples with the goal of identifying novel risk and protective variants, identify novel molecular biomarkers and causal and druggable targets. Overall, the resources available at GHTO support the increase of our understanding of Alzheimer Disease

The 13th Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the SDSS-IV Survey Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) began observations in July 2014. It pursues three core programs: APOGEE-2,MaNGA, and eBOSS. In addition, eBOSS contains two major subprograms: TDSS and SPIDERS. This paper describes the first data release from SDSS-IV, Data Release 13 (DR13), which contains new data, reanalysis of existing data sets and, like all SDSS data releases, is inclusive of previously released data. DR13 makes publicly available 1390 spatially resolved integral field unit observations of nearby galaxies from MaNGA,the first data released from this survey. It includes new observations from eBOSS, completing SEQUELS. In addition to targeting galaxies and quasars, SEQUELS also targeted variability-selected objects from TDSS and X-ray selected objects from SPIDERS. DR13 includes new reductions ofthe SDSS-III BOSS data, improving the spectrophotometric calibration and redshift classification. DR13 releases new reductions of the APOGEE-1data from SDSS-III, with abundances of elements not previously included and improved stellar parameters for dwarf stars and cooler stars. For the SDSS imaging data, DR13 provides new, more robust and precise photometric calibrations. Several value-added catalogs are being released in tandem with DR13, in particular target catalogs relevant for eBOSS, TDSS, and SPIDERS, and an updated red-clump catalog for APOGEE.This paper describes the location and format of the data now publicly available, as well as providing references to the important technical papers that describe the targeting, observing, and data reduction. The SDSS website, http://www.sdss.org, provides links to the data, tutorials and examples of data access, and extensive documentation of the reduction and analysis procedures. DR13 is the first of a scheduled set that will contain new data and analyses from the planned ~6-year operations of SDSS-IV.PostprintPeer reviewe

Evaluation of Feedlot and Carcass Performance of Steers Fed Different Levels of E-Corn, a Potential New Feed Product from Ethanol Plants

A pre-process fractionation produces a feed product called E-corn, which is low in fat and contains heat-treated starch. E-corn replaced dry rolled corn at 0, 20, 40, or 60% (DM basis) in finishing diets containing either 30% wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) or 30% wet corn gluten feed (WCGF). E-corn level x byproduct type interactions were not observed. Dry matter intake increased quadratically to E-corn inclusion level (P = 0.04), while F:G responded cubically with 20% and 60% E-corn inclusion having the lowest F:G (P = 0.02). However, when E-corn level increased from 0 to 60% of diet DM, linear decreases in marbling, fat depth, and calculated yield grade were observed (P \u3c 0.01). Steers fed WDGS had lower DMI (P \u3c 0.01) and F:G (P = 0.02) compared to steers fed WCGF. It appears that optimal inclusion of E-corn is 20% of diet DM

Design, Simulate, Build, and Fly a Heavy Lift Aircraft

The SAE Aero Design West Competition challenges undergraduate students to design, build, and fly (DBF) an RC aircraft with maximum passengers and luggage possible. Power is limited to 1,000 W, maximum takeoff weight is 55 lbs, and maximum wing span is 12 feet. ERAU’s SAE DBF team, Eaglenautics, was founded in 2017 with the intent of applying computer simulations to DBF activities, emphasizing the use of modern engineering methods such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), aircraft optimization, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). These methods support and validate the aircraft design process while utilizing ERAU’s Advanced Computing and Simulation Laboratory’s High-Performance Computers (HPC), allowing students to effectively meet or exceed the given challenges, save time, and conserve money and effort. Effectively designing and manufacturing a heavy lift aircraft and competing with other groups will give students practical experience in solving engineering problems, as well as providing them with experience and knowledge necessary to contribute to larger projects. The Eaglenautics team has designed a 40lb, 12-foot wingspan aircraft carrying 36 tennis ball passengers with 18 lb. of steel-plates as luggage. The team will compete at the April 2019 SAE Aero Design West competition in Van Nuys, CA. POSTER PRESENTATION EAGLE PRIZE AWAR

Early Cambrian renewal of the geodynamo and the origin of inner core structure.

Paleomagnetism can elucidate the origin of inner core structure by establishing when crystallization started. The salient signal is an ultralow field strength, associated with waning thermal energy to power the geodynamo from core-mantle heat flux, followed by a sharp intensity increase as new thermal and compositional sources of buoyancy become available once inner core nucleation (ICN) commences. Ultralow fields have been reported from Ediacaran (~565 Ma) rocks, but the transition to stronger strengths has been unclear. Herein, we present single crystal paleointensity results from early Cambrian (~532 Ma) anorthosites of Oklahoma. These yield a time-averaged dipole moment 5 times greater than that of the Ediacaran Period. This rapid renewal of the field, together with data defining ultralow strengths, constrains ICN to ~550 Ma. Thermal modeling using this onset age suggests the inner core had grown to 50% of its current radius, where seismic anisotropy changes, by ~450 Ma. We propose the seismic anisotropy of the outermost inner core reflects development of a global spherical harmonic degree-2 deep mantle structure at this time that has persisted to the present day. The imprint of an older degree-1 pattern is preserved in the innermost inner core

SimpleElastix: v0.9.0

Add SimpleITK support for elastix and transformix Add SimpleITK support for 4D image

Gut Microbiome and Space Travelers’ Health: State of the Art and Possible Pro/Prebiotic Strategies for Long-Term Space Missions

International audienceThe upcoming exploration missions will imply a much longer duration than any of the missions flown so far. In these missions, physiological adaptation to the new environment leads to changes in different body systems, such as the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, metabolic and neurobehavioral health and immune function. To keep space travelers healthy on their trip to Moon, Mars and beyond and their return to Earth, a variety of countermeasures need to be provided to maintain body functionality. From research on the International Space Station (ISS) we know today, that for instance prescribing an adequate training regime for each individual with the devices available in the respective spacecraft is still a challenge. Nutrient supply is not yet optimal and must be optimized in exploration missions. Food intake is intrinsically linked to changes in the gut microbiome composition. Most of the microbes that inhabit our body supply ecosystem benefit to the host-microbe system, including production of important resources, bioconversion of nutrients, and protection against pathogenic microbes. The gut microbiome has also the ability to signal the host, regulating the processes of energy storage and appetite perception, and influencing immune and neurobehavioral function. The composition and functionality of the microbiome most likely changes during spaceflight. Supporting a healthy microbiome by respective measures in space travelers might maintain their health during the mission but also support rehabilitation when being back on Earth. In this review we are summarizing the changes in the gut microbiome observed in spaceflight and analog models, focusing particularly on the effects on metabolism, the musculoskeletal and immune systems and neurobehavioral disorders. Since space travelers are healthy volunteers, we focus on the potential of countermeasures based on pre- and probiotics supplements