REAPR: a universal tool for genome assembly evaluation.

Methods to reliably assess the accuracy of genome sequence data are lacking. Currently completeness is only described qualitatively and mis-assemblies are overlooked. Here we present REAPR, a tool that precisely identifies errors in genome assemblies without the need for a reference sequence. We have validated REAPR on complete genomes or de novo assemblies from bacteria, malaria and Caenorhabditis elegans, and demonstrate that 86% and 82% of the human and mouse reference genomes are error-free, respectively. When applied to an ongoing genome project, REAPR provides corrected assembly statistics allowing the quantitative comparison of multiple assemblies. REAPR is available at http://www.sanger.ac.uk/resources/software/reapr/

Comparison of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, surface plasmon resonance and biolayer interferometry for screening of deoxynivalenol in wheat and wheat dust

A sample preparation method was developed for the screening of deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat and wheat dust. Extraction was carried out with water and was successful due to the polar character of DON. For detection, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared to the sensor-based techniques of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and biolayer interferometry (BLI) in terms of sensitivity, affinity and matrix effect. The matrix effects from wheat and wheat dust using SPR were too high to further use this screenings method. The preferred ELISA and BLI methods were validated according to the criteria established in Commission Regulation 519/2014/EC and Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. A small survey was executed on 16 wheat lots and their corresponding dust samples using the validated ELISA method. A linear correlation (r = 0.889) was found for the DON concentration in dust versus the DON concentration in wheat (LOD wheat: 233 g/kg, LOD wheat dust: 458 g/kg)

Evidence in practice-number 8:What is the prognosis of optic neuritis? How often does it lead to multiple sclerosis?

Gearing components are an example for widely used machining parts in engines. Nowadays the development and optimization of materials and process chains are driven towards a concurrent improvement of final product properties and production efficiency. Excellent mechanical properties needed for gearing components e.g. high load capacity and high fatigue resistance depend on a fine homogeneous microstructure in the final product. Efficiency in gear manufacturing can be optimized by increasing the temperature during processing, which allows for lower forging loads and lower die stresses, thus improving die life in terms of mechanical fatigue. Additionally, increasing the temperature during case hardening reduces the process duration significantly. Hence process efficiency also increases. To meet the need of a fine homogenous microstructure, dynamic recrystallization has to be initiated during hot forging and grain growth has to be avoided during dwell times and case hardening. This grain size control can be achieved by applying micro-alloying concepts. Recently, an Nb-Ti-based alloying concept for case hardening steels was introduced, which increases fine grain stability and therefore potentially allows for higher forging and case hardening temperatures, leading to improved process efficiency [1]. In this paper a 25MoCr4-Nb-Ti steel grade is characterized in terms of flow resistance and microstructure evolution by hot compression tests and annealing experiments. The processing limits of this material in terms of abnormal grain growth are determined and a JMAK-based microstructure model considering these limits is presented and implemented in the FE-Software DEFORM 3dTM. The model is used in a case study to design a laboratory scale forging process for lowest possible die stresses and finest possible grain sizes. Experimentally measured grain sizes and forging loads from forgings at the laboratory scale are used to evaluate the process design. It is shown that considering microstructure evolution in process design is absolutely necessary to jointly optimize for process efficiency and final properties. The application of the Nb-Ti-based micro-alloying concepts allows for lower die stresses and thus seems to reduce mechanical fatigue of the dies compared to conventional case-hardening steels. [1] S. Konovalov et. al.: Testcase gearing component. In: G. J. Schmitz, U. Prahl (Ed.): Integrative Computational Materials Engineering, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, 2012, ISBN 978-3-527-33081-2</jats:p

Rupture patterns and preshocks of large earthquakes in the southern San Jacinto fault zone

We relocated the large 1937, 1942, and 1954 earthquakes in the San Jacinto fault zone. The epicenters of the main shocks, aftershocks, and some preshocks were determined using empirical station corrections from recent small events in the study areas. The 1937 (ML 5.9) earthquake has an epicenter between the surface traces of the San Jacinto and Buck Ridge faults, and aftershocks suggest about 7 km of rupture predominantly to the northwest. A significant increase in small earthquake activity occurred about Formula yr before this event. The 1954 (M_L 6.2) earthquake is located at the southeast end of the mapped trace of the San Jacinto fault, and aftershocks suggest about 15 km of rupture further southeast into an area of folded young sediments with no surface fault trace. This event was preceded by a cluster of small earthquakes which occurred within an 8-hr period 10 weeks before the main event and in the eventual rupture zone. The 1942 (M_L 6.3) earthquake is located southwest of the southeast end of the Coyote Creek fault. Large aftershocks of this event are spread over a 15 by 18 km area southwest of the Coyote Creek fault and are not associated with any one fault. The relation of the 1942 event to the San Jacinto fault zone is not simple