Mapping the Effects of Genetic Variation on Chromatin State and Gene Expression Reveals Loci That Control Ground State Pluripotency.

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) cultured in the presence of LIF occupy a ground state with highly active pluripotency-associated transcriptional and epigenetic circuitry. However, ground state pluripotency in some inbred strain backgrounds is unstable in the absence of ERK1/2 and GSK3 inhibition. Using an unbiased genetic approach, we dissect the basis of this divergent response to extracellular cues by profiling gene expression and chromatin accessibility in 170 genetically heterogeneous mESCs. We map thousands of loci affecting chromatin accessibility and/or transcript abundance, including 10 QTL hotspots where genetic variation at a single locus coordinates the regulation of genes throughout the genome. For one hotspot, we identify a single enhancer variant ∼10 kb upstream of Lifr associated with chromatin accessibility and mediating a cascade of molecular events affecting pluripotency. We validate causation through reciprocal allele swaps, demonstrating the functional consequences of noncoding variation in gene regulatory networks that stabilize pluripotent states in vitro.

Remote, real-time monitoring and analysis of vital signs of neonatal graduate infants.

This paper presents a system for the remote monitoring of a newborn infant's physiological data outside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. By providing a simple means for parents to enable monitoring, and physicians a simple mobile application to monitor live and historical physiological information, this system provides the insight once only possible in an Intensive Care Unit. The system utilizes a variety of connectivity means such as Wi-Fi and 3G to facilitate the communication between a multitude of industry standard vital sign monitor and a remote server. A system trial monitoring an infant to simulate neonatal graduate monitoring has determined the system was able to successfully transmit 99.99% of data generated from the vital sign monitor.