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Background: Cyanobacteria are a widely dominated group of microorganisms in nature that produce a diverse range of metabolites. Whilst the enormous number of bacterial genomes has deposited in the public databases, the number of cyanobacterial genomes remains limited. Aims: This study aimed to sequence the whole genome of an Iraqi cyanobacterium isolate, designed as Microcoleus sp. HI-ES. Methods: Microcoleus sp. HI-ES was isolated from a freshwater sample collected from the Mosul Dam lake. GB-11 liquid medium was used for primary isolation whereas agarose-GB-11 medium supplemented with lysozyme (100 µg/ml), imipenem (100 |ig/ml), streptomycin (100 µg/ml), and cycloheximide (20 µg/ml) was used to obtain an axenic Microcoleus sp. HI-ES culture. Specialized bioinformatics tools were used for genome assembly, annotation, whole genome-based taxonomy analysis, in silico whole genome DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH), and biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) detection. Results: The results showed that Microcoleus sp. HI-ES genome consists of 4,671,230 bp with a GC content of 47.7% distributed within 6417 contigs and a total of 6264 coding sequences. The whole genome-based phylogeny and isDDH values showed that Microcoleus sp. HI-ES is closed to the type strains: Microcoleus asticus IPMA8, Microcoleus vaginatus PCC 9802, M. vaginatus FGP-2, and Oscillatoria nigroviridis PCC 7112 with isDDH values of 61.7%, 59.8%, 59.8%, and 54.5%, respectively. Ten secondary metabolite BGCs were predicted in Microcoleus sp. HI-ES including four nonrobosomal peptides (NRPs) such as one NRPs, two resorcinol, two terpenes, and one T1PKS. The draft genome sequence of Microcoleus sp. HI-ES has been deposited at DDBJ/ENA/ GenBank under the accession number JAPTMT000000000. Conclusion: The contribution of the depositing of the whole genome sequencing of Microcoleus sp. HI-ES, an Iraqi cyanobacterial strain, in public genbank databases will benefit the scientific community to understanding the potential of this cyanobacterial strain as a promising natural product producer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the split decomposition of graphs and rank-width, we introduce the notion of r-splits. We focus on the family of r-splits of a graph of order n, and we prove that it forms a hypergraph with several properties. We prove that such hypergraphs can be represented using only O(nr+1) of its hyperedges, despite its potentially exponential number of hyperedges. We also prove that there exist hypergraphs that need at least (nr) hyperedges to be represented, using a generalization of set orthogonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Let k be a positive integer, Sk and Ck denote, respectively, a star and a cycle of k edges. λKn is the usual notation for the complete multigraph on n vertices and in which every edge is taken λ times. In this paper, we investigate necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the decomposition of λKn into edges disjoint of stars Sk’s and cycles Ck’s.

The incidental detection of pancreatic cysts, an opportunity for the early detection of pancreatic cancer, is increasing, owing to an aging population and improvements in imaging technology. The classification of pancreatic cystic precursors currently relies on imaging and cyst fluid evaluations, including cytology and protein and genomic analyses. However, there are persistent limitations that obstruct the accuracy and quality of information for clinicians, including the limited volume of the complex, often acellular, and proteinaceous milieu that comprises pancreatic cyst fluid. The constraints of currently available clinical assays lead clinicians to the subjective and inconsistent application of diagnostic tools, which can contribute to unnecessary surgery and missed pancreatic cancers. Herein, we describe the pathway toward pancreatic cyst classification and diagnosis, the volume requirements for several clinically available diagnostic tools, and some analytical and diagnostic limitations for each assay. We then discuss current and future work on novel markers and methods, and how to expand the utility of clinical pancreatic cyst fluid samples. Results of ongoing studies applying SERS as a detection mode suggest that 50 μL of pancreatic cyst fluid is more than sufficient to accurately rule out non-mucinous pancreatic cysts with no malignant potential from further evaluation. This process is expected to leave sufficient fluid to analyze a follow-up, rule-in panel of markers currently in development that can stratify grades of dysplasia in mucinous pancreatic cysts and improve clinical decision-making., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest Authors DS, KB, UR, and MT are employed by Amplified Sciences. KK, MA-H, and CC consult and advise for Amplified Sciences. Author VD is the owner/founder of Amplified Sciences. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Background and Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided (EUS) liver biopsy (LB) is proposed as a newer method that offers several advantages over existing techniques for sampling liver tissue. This study evaluated the diagnostic yield of EUS-LB as the primary outcome measure. In addition, the safety of the technique in a large patient cohort was assessed., Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing EUS for evaluation of elevated liver enzymes or hepatic disease were included in this prospective, non-randomized, multicenter study. EUS-LB was performed with EUS-fine needle aspiration (FNA; 19-gauge needle). Tissue was formalin-fixed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and trichrome. Using a microscope micrometer, specimen length was measured and the number of complete portal triads (CPTs) were counted. The main outcome measure was to assess the diagnostic yield of EUS-LB, and to monitor for any procedure-related complications., Results: Patients (110; median age, 53 years; 62 women) underwent EUS-LB at eight centers. The indication was abnormal liver enzymes in 96 patients. LB specimens sufficient for pathological diagnosis were obtained in 108 of 110 patients (98 %). The overall tissue yield from 110 patients was a median aggregate length of 38 mm (range, 0 - 203), with median of 14 CPTs (range, 0 - 68). There was no statistical difference in the yield between bilobar, left lobe only, or right lobe only biopsies. There was one complication (0.9 %) where self-limited bleeding occurred in a coagulopathic and thrombocytopenic patient. This complication was managed conservatively., Conclusions: EUS-guided LB was a safe technique that yields tissue adequate for diagnosis among 98 % of patients evaluated.