Showing papers by "Iowa State University published in 2010"
TL;DR: An overview of NWChem is provided focusing primarily on the core theoretical modules provided by the code and their parallel performance, as well as Scalable parallel implementations and modular software design enable efficient utilization of current computational architectures.
4,666 citations
Agricultural Research Service1, Purdue University2, University of North Carolina at Charlotte3, University of California, Berkeley4, University of Arizona5, University of Maryland, College Park6, University of Missouri7, Joint Genome Institute8, National Center for Genome Resources9, Iowa State University10, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point11, University of Nebraska–Lincoln12
TL;DR: An accurate soybean genome sequence will facilitate the identification of the genetic basis of many soybean traits, and accelerate the creation of improved soybean varieties.
Abstract: Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important crop plants for seed protein and oil content, and for its capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen through symbioses with soil-borne microorganisms. We sequenced the 1.1-gigabase genome by a whole-genome shotgun approach and integrated it with physical and high-density genetic maps to create a chromosome-scale draft sequence assembly. We predict 46,430 protein-coding genes, 70% more than Arabidopsis and similar to the poplar genome which, like soybean, is an ancient polyploid (palaeopolyploid). About 78% of the predicted genes occur in chromosome ends, which comprise less than one-half of the genome but account for nearly all of the genetic recombination. Genome duplications occurred at approximately 59 and 13 million years ago, resulting in a highly duplicated genome with nearly 75% of the genes present in multiple copies. The two duplication events were followed by gene diversification and loss, and numerous chromosome rearrangements. An accurate soybean genome sequence will facilitate the identification of the genetic basis of many soybean traits, and accelerate the creation of improved soybean varieties.
3,743 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a biennial review summarizes much of particle physics using data from previous editions, plus 2158 new measurements from 551 papers, they list, evaluate and average measured properties of gauge bosons, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons.
Abstract: This biennial Review summarizes much of particle physics. Using data from previous editions, plus 2158 new measurements from 551 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We also summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as Higgs bosons, heavy neutrinos, and supersymmetric particles. All the particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We also give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as the Standard Model, particle detectors, probability, and statistics. Among the 108 reviews are many that are new or heavily revised including those on neutrino mass, mixing, and oscillations, QCD, top quark, CKM quark-mixing matrix, V-ud & V-us, V-cb & V-ub, fragmentation functions, particle detectors for accelerator and non-accelerator physics, magnetic monopoles, cosmological parameters, and big bang cosmology.
2,788 citations
TL;DR: A new class of sequence-specific nucleases created by fusing transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) to the catalytic domain of the FokI endonuclease is reported.
Abstract: Engineered nucleases that cleave specific DNA sequences in vivo are valuable reagents for targeted mutagenesis. Here we report a new class of sequence-specific nucleases created by fusing transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) to the catalytic domain of the FokI endonuclease. Both native and custom TALE-nuclease fusions direct DNA double-strand breaks to specific, targeted sites.
1,928 citations
TL;DR: The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior.
Abstract: Meta-analytic procedures were used to test the effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, empathy/desensitization, and prosocial behavior. Unique features of this meta-analytic review include (a) more restrictive methodological quality inclusion criteria than in past meta-analyses; (b) cross-cultural comparisons; (c) longitudinal studies for all outcomes except physiological arousal; (d) conservative statistical controls; (e) multiple moderator analyses; and (f) sensitivity analyses. Social-cognitive models and cultural differences between Japan and Western countries were used to generate theory-based predictions. Meta-analyses yielded significant effects for all 6 outcome variables. The pattern of results for different outcomes and research designs (experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal) fit theoretical predictions well. The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior. Moderator analyses revealed significant research design effects, weak evidence of cultural differences in susceptibility and type of measurement effects, and no evidence of sex differences in susceptibility. Results of various sensitivity analyses revealed these effects to be robust, with little evidence of selection (publication) bias.
1,667 citations
Agricultural Research Service1, Oregon State University2, University of California, Berkeley3, John Innes Centre4, United States Department of Energy5, United States Department of Agriculture6, University of California, Davis7, University of Silesia in Katowice8, China Agricultural University9, Iowa State University10, Washington State University11, University of Florida12, University of Massachusetts Amherst13, University of Wisconsin-Madison14, Technische Universität München15, Cornell University16, University of Zurich17, University of Helsinki18, Universidade Federal de Pelotas19, Purdue University20, University of Texas at Arlington21, National Center for Genome Resources22, University of Delaware23, Joint BioEnergy Institute24, University of Copenhagen25, Kyung Hee University26, Ghent University27, Centre national de la recherche scientifique28, Oak Ridge National Laboratory29, Ohio State University30, Institut national de la recherche agronomique31, University of Picardie Jules Verne32, Illinois State University33, Sabancı University34, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center35
TL;DR: The high-quality genome sequence will help Brachypodium reach its potential as an important model system for developing new energy and food crops and establishes a template for analysis of the large genomes of economically important pooid grasses such as wheat.
Abstract: Three subfamilies of grasses, the Ehrhartoideae, Panicoideae and Pooideae, provide the bulk of human nutrition and are poised to become major sources of renewable energy. Here we describe the genome sequence of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium), which is, to our knowledge, the first member of the Pooideae subfamily to be sequenced. Comparison of the Brachypodium, rice and sorghum genomes shows a precise history of genome evolution across a broad diversity of the grasses, and establishes a template for analysis of the large genomes of economically important pooid grasses such as wheat. The high-quality genome sequence, coupled with ease of cultivation and transformation, small size and rapid life cycle, will help Brachypodium reach its potential as an important model system for developing new energy and food crops.
1,603 citations
TL;DR: The response of the worldwide scientific community to the discovery in 2008 of superconductivity at T c'='26'K in the Fe-based compound LaFeAsO1−x F x has been very enthusiastic.
Abstract: The response of the worldwide scientific community to the discovery in 2008 of superconductivity at T c = 26 K in the Fe-based compound LaFeAsO1−x F x has been very enthusiastic. In short order, ot...
1,373 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the impact of biochar amendments (0, 5, 10, and 20 g-biochar kg−1 soil) on the quality of a Clarion soil (Mesic Typic Hapludolls), collected (0-15 cm) in Boone County, Iowa.
1,143 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors quantify the impact of biochar on leaching of plant nutrients following application of swine manure to a typical Midwestern agricultural soil, and suggest that soil-biochar additions could be an effective management option for reducing nutrient leaching in production agriculture.
1,048 citations
TL;DR: The principles of the real-time 3D shape measurement techniques that were developed are presented, the most recent progresses that have been made in this field are summarized, and the challenges for advancing this technology further are discussed.
926 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined fast pyrolysis of corn stover to bio-oil with subsequent upgrading of the biooil to naphtha and diesel range fuels.
TL;DR: The use of vegetable oils as renewable raw materials for the synthesis of various monomers and polymeric materials is reviewed in this article, where a variety of vegetable oil-based polymers have been prepared by free radical, cationic, olefin metathesis, and condensation polymerization.
TL;DR: The pyrolysis speciation revealed the competitive nature of the primary reactions and accelerated the reactions that led to the formation of low molecular weight species from cellulose as compared to those leading to anhydro sugars.
TL;DR: A dynamic transcriptome is revealed, with transcripts for primary cell wall and basic cellular metabolism at the leaf base transitioning to transcripts for secondary cell wall biosynthesis and C4 photosynthetic development toward the tip.
Abstract: We have analyzed the maize leaf transcriptome using Illumina sequencing. We mapped more than 120 million reads to define gene structure and alternative splicing events and to quantify transcript abundance along a leaf developmental gradient and in mature bundle sheath and mesophyll cells. We detected differential mRNA processing events for most maize genes. We found that 64% and 21% of genes were differentially expressed along the developmental gradient and between bundle sheath and mesophyll cells, respectively. We implemented Gbrowse, an electronic fluorescent pictograph browser, and created a two-cell biochemical pathway viewer to visualize datasets. Cluster analysis of the data revealed a dynamic transcriptome, with transcripts for primary cell wall and basic cellular metabolism at the leaf base transitioning to transcripts for secondary cell wall biosynthesis and C(4) photosynthetic development toward the tip. This dataset will serve as the foundation for a systems biology approach to the understanding of photosynthetic development.
TL;DR: This work strongly suppressed the coupling of a single spin in diamond with the surrounding spin bath by using double-axis dynamical decoupling and preserved the coherence was preserved for arbitrary quantum states, as verified by quantum process tomography.
Abstract: Controlling the interaction of a single quantum system with its environment is a fundamental challenge in quantum science and technology. We strongly suppressed the coupling of a single spin in diamond with the surrounding spin bath by using double-axis dynamical decoupling. The coherence was preserved for arbitrary quantum states, as verified by quantum process tomography. The resulting coherence time enhancement followed a general scaling with the number of decoupling pulses. No limit was observed for the decoupling action up to 136 pulses, for which the coherence time was enhanced more than 25 times compared to that obtained with spin echo. These results uncover a new regime for experimental quantum science and allow us to overcome a major hurdle for implementing quantum information protocols.
TL;DR: The current state of knowledge of the phylogeny, environmental distribution, and potential applications of methanotrophs for regional and global issues are summarized, as well as the role of Cu in regulating gene expression and proteome in these cells, its effects on enzymatic and whole-cell activity, and the novel Cu uptake system used by methanOTrophs are summarized.
Abstract: Methanotrophs, cells that consume methane (CH4) as their sole source of carbon and energy, play key roles in the global carbon cycle, including controlling anthropogenic and natural emissions of CH4, the second-most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. These cells have also been widely used for bioremediation of chlorinated solvents, and help sustain diverse microbial communities as well as higher organisms through the conversion of CH4 to complex organic compounds (e.g. in deep ocean and subterranean environments with substantial CH4 fluxes). It has been well-known for over 30 years that copper (Cu) plays a key role in the physiology and activity of methanotrophs, but it is only recently that we have begun to understand how these cells collect Cu, the role Cu plays in CH4 oxidation by the particulate CH4 monooxygenase, the effect of Cu on the proteome, and how Cu affects the ability of methanotrophs to oxidize different substrates. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge of the phylogeny, environmental distribution, and potential applications of methanotrophs for regional and global issues, as well as the role of Cu in regulating gene expression and proteome in these cells, its effects on enzymatic and whole-cell activity, and the novel Cu uptake system used by methanotrophs.
University of Minnesota1, University of Wisconsin-Madison2, Long Island University3, Pennsylvania State University4, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign5, Dow Chemical Company6, United States Department of Agriculture7, Syngenta8, University of Nebraska–Lincoln9, Iowa State University10, General Mills11
TL;DR: Areawide suppression of the primary pest Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer) is associated with Bt maize use, which affirm theoretical predictions of pest population suppression and highlight economic incentives for growers to maintain non-Bt maize refugia for sustainable insect resistance management.
Abstract: Transgenic maize engineered to express insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has become widely adopted in U.S. agriculture. In 2009, Bt maize was planted on more than 22.2 million hectares, constituting 63% of the U.S. crop. Using statistical analysis of per capita growth rate estimates, we found that areawide suppression of the primary pest Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer) is associated with Bt maize use. Cumulative benefits over 14 years are an estimated $3.2 billion for maize growers in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with more than $2.4 billion of this total accruing to non-Bt maize growers. Comparable estimates for Iowa and Nebraska are $3.6 billion in total, with $1.9 billion for non-Bt maize growers. These results affirm theoretical predictions of pest population suppression and highlight economic incentives for growers to maintain non-Bt maize refugia for sustainable insect resistance management.
TL;DR: A better understanding of the adaptations enlisted by ruminants during heat stress is necessary to enhance the likelihood of developing strategies to simultaneously improve heat tolerance and increase productivity.
Abstract: Environmentally induced periods of heat stress decrease productivity with devastating economic consequences to global animal agriculture. Heat stress can be defined as a physiological condition when the core body temperature of a given species exceeds its range specified for normal activity, which results from a total heat load (internal production and environment) exceeding the capacity for heat dissipation and this prompts physiological and behavioral responses to reduce the strain. The ability of ruminants to regulate body temperature is species- and breed-dependent. Dairy breeds are typically more sensitive to heat stress than meat breeds, and higher-producing animals are more susceptible to heat stress because they generate more metabolic heat. During heat stress, ruminants, like other homeothermic animals, increase avenues of heat loss and reduce heat production in an attempt to maintain euthermia. The immediate responses to heat load are increased respiration rates, decreased feed intake and increased water intake. Acclimatization is a process by which animals adapt to environmental conditions and engage behavioral, hormonal and metabolic changes that are characteristics of either acclimatory homeostasis or homeorhetic mechanisms used by the animals to survive in a new ‘physiological state’. For example, alterations in the hormonal profile are mainly characterized by a decline and increase in anabolic and catabolic hormones, respectively. The response to heat load and the heat-induced change in homeorhetic modifiers alters post-absorptive energy, lipid and protein metabolism, impairs liver function, causes oxidative stress, jeopardizes the immune response and decreases reproductive performance. These physiological modifications alter nutrient partitioning and may prevent heat-stressed lactating cows from recruiting glucose-sparing mechanisms (despite the reduced nutrient intake). This might explain, in large part, why decreased feed intake only accounts for a minor portion of the reduced milk yield from environmentally induced hyperthermic cows. How these metabolic changes are initiated and regulated is not known. It also remains unclear how these changes differ between short-term v. long-term heat acclimation to impact animal productivity and well-being. A better understanding of the adaptations enlisted by ruminants during heat stress is necessary to enhance the likelihood of developing strategies to simultaneously improve heat tolerance and increase productivity.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used the ATLAS detector to detect dijet asymmetry in the collisions of lead ions at the Large Hadron Collider and found that the transverse energies of dijets in opposite hemispheres become systematically more unbalanced with increasing event centrality, leading to a large number of events which contain highly asymmetric di jets.
Abstract: By using the ATLAS detector, observations have been made of a centrality-dependent dijet asymmetry in the collisions of lead ions at the Large Hadron Collider. In a sample of lead-lead events with a per-nucleon center of mass energy of 2.76 TeV, selected with a minimum bias trigger, jets are reconstructed in fine-grained, longitudinally segmented electromagnetic and hadronic calorimeters. The transverse energies of dijets in opposite hemispheres are observed to become systematically more unbalanced with increasing event centrality leading to a large number of events which contain highly asymmetric dijets. This is the first observation of an enhancement of events with such large dijet asymmetries, not observed in proton-proton collisions, which may point to an interpretation in terms of strong jet energy loss in a hot, dense medium.
TL;DR: In order to make real progress in this area, the scientific community must have a global appreciation of how both the structural proteins and the key proteases are influenced by the vast changes that occur during the conversion of muscle to meat.
TL;DR: This RNA-Seq atlas extends the analyses of previous gene expression atlases performed using Affymetrix GeneChip technology and provides an example of new methods to accommodate the increase in transcriptome data obtained from next generation sequencing.
Abstract: Next generation sequencing is transforming our understanding of transcriptomes. It can determine the expression level of transcripts with a dynamic range of over six orders of magnitude from multiple tissues, developmental stages or conditions. Patterns of gene expression provide insight into functions of genes with unknown annotation. The RNA Seq-Atlas presented here provides a record of high-resolution gene expression in a set of fourteen diverse tissues. Hierarchical clustering of transcriptional profiles for these tissues suggests three clades with similar profiles: aerial, underground and seed tissues. We also investigate the relationship between gene structure and gene expression and find a correlation between gene length and expression. Additionally, we find dramatic tissue-specific gene expression of both the most highly-expressed genes and the genes specific to legumes in seed development and nodule tissues. Analysis of the gene expression profiles of over 2,000 genes with preferential gene expression in seed suggests there are more than 177 genes with functional roles that are involved in the economically important seed filling process. Finally, the Seq-atlas also provides a means of evaluating existing gene model annotations for the Glycine max genome. This RNA-Seq atlas extends the analyses of previous gene expression atlases performed using Affymetrix GeneChip technology and provides an example of new methods to accommodate the increase in transcriptome data obtained from next generation sequencing. Data contained within this RNA-Seq atlas of Glycine max can be explored at http://www.soybase.org/soyseq
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TL;DR: This article examined the relationships between CEO personality, strategic flexibility, and firm performance, using a sample of 195 small and medium-sized companies with a total workforce of 5,000 employees.
Abstract: We examine the relationships between CEO personality, strategic flexibility (ability to adapt quickly to environmental changes), and firm performance, using a sample of 195 small and medium-sized f...
TL;DR: Solid-state NMR spectroscopy indicates that amantadine physically occludes the M2 channel, thus paving the way for developing new antiviral drugs against influenza viruses and demonstrates the ability of solid- state NMR to elucidate small-molecule interactions with membrane proteins and determine high-resolution structures of their complexes.
Abstract: The current H1N1 strain pandemic virus is resistant to the established antiviral agents amantadine and rimantadine, which target the M2 protein, a multifunctional membrane-spanning proton channel The structure of this channel has been a subject of some controversy, since an X-ray crystal structure of part of the M2 channel showed electron density that corresponded to a single molecule of amantadine in the N-terminal half of the pore, whereas a solution NMR structure of a larger portion of the channel showed four rimantadine molecules bound to the C-terminal lipid-facing surface of the helices The matter now appears resolved with the publication of the high-resolution structure of the M2 channel in a phospholipid bilayer, determined using solid-state NMR spectroscopy This reveals two amantadine-binding sites: a high-affinity site in the N-terminal channel lumen and a low-affinity site on the C-terminal protein surface This work could be of value for the development of new anti-influenza drugs, an important goal since the 2009 seasonal virus is amantadine-sensitive but resistant to Tamiflu, raising the possibility that multiply resistant virus types might emerge in future The antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine target the M2 protein of influenza A virus, making an understanding of its structure important for the study of drug resistance The results of a recent crystal structure of M2 differ from those of a solution NMR structure with regards to binding of these drugs, indicating a different mechanism of inhibition in each case Here, using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, two different amantadine-binding sites are shown to exist in the phospholipid bilayers of M2 The M2 protein of influenza A virus is a membrane-spanning tetrameric proton channel targeted by the antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine1 Resistance to these drugs has compromised their effectiveness against many influenza strains, including pandemic H1N1 A recent crystal structure of M2(22–46) showed electron densities attributed to a single amantadine in the amino-terminal half of the pore2, indicating a physical occlusion mechanism for inhibition However, a solution NMR structure of M2(18–60) showed four rimantadines bound to the carboxy-terminal lipid-facing surface of the helices3, suggesting an allosteric mechanism Here we show by solid-state NMR spectroscopy that two amantadine-binding sites exist in M2 in phospholipid bilayers The high-affinity site, occupied by a single amantadine, is located in the N-terminal channel lumen, surrounded by residues mutated in amantadine-resistant viruses Quantification of the protein–amantadine distances resulted in a 03 A-resolution structure of the high-affinity binding site The second, low-affinity, site was observed on the C-terminal protein surface, but only when the drug reaches high concentrations in the bilayer The orientation and dynamics of the drug are distinct in the two sites, as shown by 2H NMR These results indicate that amantadine physically occludes the M2 channel, thus paving the way for developing new antiviral drugs against influenza viruses The study demonstrates the ability of solid-state NMR to elucidate small-molecule interactions with membrane proteins and determine high-resolution structures of their complexes
TL;DR: The complex role of Itk signaling in effector T-cell differentiation and the regulation of cytokine gene expression implicate Itk as an important modulator of T- cell signaling and function.
Abstract: The Tec family tyrosine kinases regulate lymphocyte development, activation, and differentiation. In T cells, the predominant Tec kinase is Itk, which functions downstream of the T-cell receptor to regulate phospholipase C-γ. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of Itk kinase structure and enzymatic regulation, focusing on Itk protein domain interactions and mechanisms of substrate recognition. We also discuss the role of Itk in the development of conventional versus innate T-cell lineages, including both αβ and γδ T-cell subsets. Finally, we describe the complex role of Itk signaling in effector T-cell differentiation and the regulation of cytokine gene expression. Together, these data implicate Itk as an important modulator of T-cell signaling and function.
TL;DR: FAK-mediated myosin-dependent paxillin phosphorylation is necessary to bring vinculin to maturing focal adhesions, reinforcing the link between the cytoskeleton and the ECM.
Abstract: Focal adhesions (FAs) are mechanosensitive adhesion and signaling complexes that grow and change composition in response to myosin II–mediated cytoskeletal tension in a process known as FA maturation. To understand tension-mediated FA maturation, we sought to identify proteins that are recruited to FAs in a myosin II–dependent manner and to examine the mechanism for their myosin II–sensitive FA association. We find that FA recruitment of both the cytoskeletal adapter protein vinculin and the tyrosine kinase FA kinase (FAK) are myosin II and extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness dependent. Myosin II activity promotes FAK/Src-mediated phosphorylation of paxillin on tyrosines 31 and 118 and vinculin association with paxillin. We show that phosphomimic mutations of paxillin can specifically induce the recruitment of vinculin to adhesions independent of myosin II activity. These results reveal an important role for paxillin in adhesion mechanosensing via myosin II–mediated FAK phosphorylation of paxillin that promotes vinculin FA recruitment to reinforce the cytoskeletal ECM linkage and drive FA maturation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared several process technologies for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic material, based on a 5- to 8-year time frame for implementation.
TL;DR: SoyBase, the USDA-ARS soybean genetic database, is a comprehensive repository for professionally curated genetics, genomics and related data resources for soybean that contains the most current genetic, physical and genomic sequence maps integrated with qualitative and quantitative traits.
Abstract: SoyBase, the USDA-ARS soybean genetic database, is a comprehensive repository for professionally curated genetics, genomics and related data resources for soybean. SoyBase contains the most current genetic, physical and genomic sequence maps integrated with qualitative and quantitative traits. The quantitative trait loci (QTL) represent more than 18 years of QTL mapping of more than 90 unique traits. SoyBase also contains the well-annotated 'Williams 82' genomic sequence and associated data mining tools. The genetic and sequence views of the soybean chromosomes and the extensive data on traits and phenotypes are extensively interlinked. This allows entry to the database using almost any kind of available information, such as genetic map symbols, soybean gene names or phenotypic traits. SoyBase is the repository for controlled vocabularies for soybean growth, development and trait terms, which are also linked to the more general plant ontologies. SoyBase can be accessed at http://soybase.org.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors performed searches for lepton-flavor-violating decays of a tau lepton to a lighter mass lepton and a photon with the entire data set of (963 +/- 7) x 10(6) tau decays collected by the BABAR detector near the Y(4S), Y(3S) and Y(2S) resonances.
Abstract: Searches for lepton-flavor-violating decays of a tau lepton to a lighter mass lepton and a photon have been performed with the entire data set of (963 +/- 7) x 10(6) tau decays collected by the BABAR detector near the Y(4S), Y(3S) and Y(2S) resonances. The searches yield no evidence of signals and we set upper limits on the branching fractions of B(tau(+/-) -> e(+/-)gamma) mu(+/-)gamma) < 4.4 X 10(-8) at 90% confidence level.
TL;DR: Assessment of simple indicators of dietary diversity, such as could be generated from large household surveys, to serve as proxy indicators of micronutrient adequacy for population-level assessment showed moderate predictive strength for the best choice indicators, which varied by site.
Abstract: Women of reproductive age living in resource-poor settings are at high risk of inadequate micronutrient intakes when diets lack diversity and are dominated by staple foods. Yet comparative information on diet quality is scarce and quantitative data on nutrient intakes is expensive and difficult to gather. We assessed the potential of simple indicators of dietary diversity, such as could be generated from large household surveys, to serve as proxy indicators of micronutrient adequacy for population-level assessment. We used 5 existing data sets (from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and the Philippines) with repeat 24-h recalls to construct 8 candidate food group diversity indicators (FGI) and to calculate the mean probability of adequacy (MPA) for 11 micronutrients. FGI varied in food group disaggregation and in minimum consumption required for a food group to count. There were large gaps between intakes and requirements across a range of micronutrients in each site. All 8 FGI were correlated with MPA in all sites; regression analysis confirmed that associations remained when controlling for energy intake. Assessment of dichotomous indicators through receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed moderate predictive strength for the best choice indicators, which varied by site. Simple FGI hold promise as proxy indicators of micronutrient adequacy.
Space Telescope Science Institute1, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network2, Aarhus University3, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven4, Université Paris-Saclay5, Yale University6, University of Sydney7, University of Birmingham8, University of Porto9, Royal Observatory of Belgium10, Los Alamos National Laboratory11, University of Vienna12, Iowa State University13, Hungarian Academy of Sciences14, University of Central Lancashire15, National Center for Atmospheric Research16, Konkoly Thege Miklós Astronomical Institute17, Spanish National Research Council18, Ames Research Center19, Goddard Space Flight Center20, Harvard University21, Fermilab22
TL;DR: The first 43 days of the Kepler asteroseismology program were reported in this paper, showing that the unique capabilities of Kepler in providing a revolutionary advance in stellar astrophysics are already well in evidence.
Abstract: .Asteroseismology involves probing the interiors of stars and quantifying their global properties, such as radius and age, through observations of normal modes of oscillation. The technical requirements for conducting asteroseismology include ultrahigh precision measured in photometry in parts per million, as well as nearly continuous time series over weeks to years, and cadences rapid enough to sample oscillations with periods as short as a few minutes. We report on results from the first 43 days of observations, in which the unique capabilities of Kepler in providing a revolutionary advance in asteroseismology are already well in evidence. The Kepler asteroseismology program holds intrinsic importance in supporting the core planetary search program through greatly enhanced knowledge of host star properties, and extends well beyond this to rich applications in stellar astrophysics.