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The expansion of urban environments contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss. Implementing nature-based strategies to create ‘regenerative living cities’ will be critical for climate change mitigation and adaptation and will produce measurable biodiversity and wellbeing co-benefits.

•SEM analysis of archaeological avian eggshell from Pompeii.•Gallus gallus domesticusand Perdix perdixwere the most common identifications.•Examination of SEM images showed high frequency of taphonomic damage.•Embryogenesis was common especially in Gallus gallus domesticusand Perdix perdix.

We studied infection dynamics of Plasmodium chabaudi in mice infected with 3 genetically distinct clones – 1 less virulent than the other 2 – either on their own or in mixtures. During the acute phase of infection, total numbers of asexual parasites in mixed-clone infections were equal to those produced by the 3 clones alone, suggesting strong in-host competition among clones. During the chronic phase of the infection, mixed-clone infections produced more asexual parasites than single-clone infections, suggesting lower levels of competition than during the acute phase, and indicating that a genetically diverse infection is harder to control by the host immune system. Transmission potential over the whole course of infection was lower from mixed-clone infections than from the average of the 3 single-clone infections. These results suggest that in-host competition reduces both growth rate and probability of transmission for individual parasite clones.

Studies of population genetic structure of parasites can be used to infer which parasite genes are under selection. Here, the population structure of 4 genes associated with drug resistance of Plasmodium falciparum (the chloroquine resistance transporter, pfcrt, dihydrofolate reductase, dhfr, dihydropteroate synthase, dhps, and multi-drug resistance, pfmdr-1) were examined in parasite populations in 3 villages in eastern Sudan and in an urban area of Khartoum, the capital. In order to differentiate the effects of drug selection from neutral influences on population structure, parasites were also genotyped for 3 putatively neutral microsatellite loci (polyα, TA81 and pfg377), and for 2 antigenic loci that are either under balancing selection or neutral, merozoite surface protein 1 and 2, (MSP-1 and MSP-2). Cross-sectional surveys were carried out during the peak transmission (wet) season and in the ensuing dry season. No significant variation in frequencies of MSP-1 and MSP-2 alleles was seen among villages in the eastern region and between the villages and Khartoum, nor between the wet and dry season. However, the drug resistance genes, pfmdr-1, pfcrt and dhfr and to a lesser extent the microsatellite loci showed high FST values when comparing villages with Khartoum, indicating strong geographical differentiation at these loci. Moreover, variation in frequencies of the drug resistance genes, pfmdr-1, pfcrt and dhfr, was observed between the wet and dry season. These differences most probably reflect the variation in drug pressure between each region, and in drug usage between the wet and dry season in a given region.

The application of composite or consolidated tailings (CT) technology provides Alberta's oil sands industry with a means of reducing the volume of the fines fraction in extraction tailings and allows for faster reclamation and revegetation of mining sites. This study examined the effects of coagulant aids (gypsum and alum), used in the production of CT, on the ion content, growth, and survival of greenhouse‐grown red‐osier dogwood (Cornus sericeaL. subsp. sericea). Seedlings were planted in gypsum‐CT and alum‐CT substrates, and compared with those planted in reclamation material (salvaged peat and till). The seedlings were bottom‐watered with one of the following: (i) Hoagland mineral solution prepared in deionized water (Epstein, 1972); (ii) Hoagland solution in gypsum‐based CT release water; or (iii) Hoagland solution in alum‐based CT release water. Pore water of CT substrates and CT release waters had similar chemical characteristics, including salinity levels. However, plants in CT substrates had higher concentrations of ions (particularly Na and B), reduced growth, and higher mortality than plants in reclamation material and treated with CT waters. The presence of H2S indicated low‐oxygen conditions in the CT substrates, while in the reclamation materials with CT release water treatments, no evidence of sulfides was observed. Low‐oxygen conditions in the CT substrate treatments may have interfered with plant exclusion mechanisms for Na and B. Therefore, substrate properties may modify responses of reclamation plants to pore water chemistry due to the effects on oxygen availability to roots.

Here we examined the impact of host immunity on relationships between parasite virulence, transmission rate, intrinsic growth rate and host recovery rate in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi. Groups of naïve and immunized mice were infected with 1 of 10 cloned lines of parasites and their infection dynamics were monitored for 19 days. We found that (1) host immunity reduced the growth rate, virulence, transmission rate and infection length, with a consequent 3-fold reduction in life-time transmission potential, (2) clone means for these traits ranked similarly across naïve and immunized mice, (3) regression slopes of transmission potential on growth rate, virulence and infection length were similar in naïve and immunized mice, (4) virulence and infection length were positively correlated in immunized but not naïve mice, and (5) for a similar level of parasite growth rate and virulence, transmission potential and infection length were lower in immunized than naïve mice. Thus host immunity reduced all these fitness traits in a manner consistent with direct parasite-driven biological links among them. These results support the basic assumption underlying our theory that predicts that anti-disease vaccines will select for higher virulence in those microparasites for which virulence is integrally linked to transmission.

During extraction of bitumen from the Athabasca Oil Sands, an aqueous fines suspension, called mature fine tails (MFT), is produced. The geotechnical characteristics of MFT demand long term storage in geotechnically secure containment areas. The composite tailings (CT) process involves mixing a coarse tailings stream with a MFT stream and adding a coagulant to form slurry that rapidly releases water when deposited and binds the MFT in a coarse tailings/MFT deposit. Thus, more of the fines can be stored in a geotechnical soil matrix, which reduces the inventory of fluid-fine tails and enables a wider range of reclamation alternatives. CT process optimization, coupled with public and regulatory consultation at key milestones, has led to a corporate commitment to implement this technology. This paper reviews key aspects of the evolution of the CT process at Syncrude, including segregation, depositional and geotechnical characteristics of CT mixes that are formed with various chemical aids. Some of the treatments discussed include those based on the use of acid, lime, gypsum, alum, and organic polymers as the coagulant aids.

In the oil sands industry, composite tails (CT) is a tailings management approach in which the fines or clay fraction of extraction tailings are mixed with the coarse sand fractions, such that, with the addition of a coagulant aid, a non-segregating deposit is produced. Various coagulant aids have been shown to be effective. In the process of coagulation, the fine solids aggregate. Under self-weight consolidation (aided by high proportion of sand grains), particle-free water is released from the deposit leaving the fines solids and some water trapped within the voids of the coarse solids matrix. The rate and degree of water release determines when the resulting deposit can be classed as a “dry” landscape for reclamation. The coagulation of the clays has been demonstrated with a variety of chemicals, both organic and inorganic. Depending on the particular coagulant aid, various changes in pH, salinity, cation and anion levels, buffering capacity and toxicity have been observed. The impacts of some of these coagulant aids on water quality are described and the potential influence of the CT release waters on operational aspects of oil sands operations and on eventual reclamation options are discussed.

A survey of Plasmodium falciparum infection and clone multiplicity in Ghanaian children was carried out to study the effect of the onset of the malaria transmission season on disease incidence. Fortnightly blood samples were collected from 40 children living in the rural town of Dodowa, between February and August 1998. P. falciparum parasite densities were calculated and PCR genotyping was carried out using the polymorphic MSP-1 and MSP-2 genes as target loci for the estimation of the number of parasite clones in each sample. The average clone number was estimated using maximum likelihood techniques and the minimum number of clones per patient was analysed for the effects of age, sex, season, minimum number of clones per child, level of parasitaemia and parasite genotype. The statistical analysis indicated that the more clones a child carried, the more likely they were to have a clinical malaria episode. This was true after adjusting for age and season effects and for the measured circulating parasitaemia. The probability of clinical disease also increased if the MSP-1 MAD 20 and the MSP-2 FC 27 alleles were present. This longitudinal analysis thus indicates that the probability of a Ghanaian child having a symptomatic malaria episode is positively associated with both increasing numbers and novel types of P. falciparum clones.

Adult yellow perch were stocked into experimental ponds designed to test the biological effects of aquatic reclamation alternatives currently being pursued by the oil sands mining industry. Water-quality characteristics of oil sands-influenced water in the experimental ponds included increased salinity and elevated trace organics associated with raw oil sands (bitumen). After 3 and 10 months of exposure to affected waters, perch gross pathologies including severe fin erosion and virally induced tumors were observed in exposed individuals. Gill histopathology revealed large aneurysms accompanied by a proliferation of chloride and epithelial cells in the interlamellar spaces. Gill pathologies were not paralleled by a decrease in plasma sodium, calcium, or chloride. The frequencies of gross pathologies and gill changes were correlated to the concentrations of the oil sands-related compounds. As inorganic and organic compounds associated with oil sands activities are highly intercorrelated, and the observed lesions and changes are not diagnostic of particular toxicants, it was not possible to isolate the causative chemical factor(s) responsible. The incidence of observed lesions and gill pathologies could not be conclusively linked to increased mortality rates observed in the exposed populations. Evidence of recovery in the pathologies was observed between 3 and 10 months of exposure, coincident with a stabilization in population numbers.

The Plasmodium falciparum population in Asar village, eastern Sudan, where malaria transmission is markedly seasonal, was monitored monthly over a period of 15 months. A cohort of infected patients was treated and then followed monthly throughout the dry season until the next transmission season. Parasitaemia detected by microscopy among the cohort reduced dramatically following treatment, but remained sporadic during the dry season, and reappeared following the onset of the next wet season. However between 40 and 50% of the cohort retained a persisting parasitaemia detectable by PCR throughout the dry season. These parasites were genetically complex, consisting of multiple clones with a large repertoire of alleles of the studied genes. While the number of clones per host dropped significantly following treatment of acute cases during the transmission season, drug treated people nevertheless maintained an average of one clone throughout the dry season. Allele frequencies of MSP-1, MSP-2 and GLURP showed slight, statistically insignificant, fluctuations between the dry and wet seasons. A higher frequency of inbreeding was estimated among the parasites that survived the dry season compared to the wet season.

Stochastic processes play a vital role in the early stages of the evolution of drug-resistant malaria. We present a simple and flexible method for investigating these processes and understanding how they affect the emergence of drug-resistant malaria. Qualitatively different predictions can be made depending on the biological and epidemiological factors which prevail in the field. Intense intra-host competition between co-infecting clones, low numbers of genes required to encode resistance, and high drug usage all encourage the emergence of drug resistance. Drug-resistant forms present at the time drug application starts are less likely to survive than those which arise subsequently; survival of the former largely depends on how rapidly malaria population size stabilizes after drug application. In particular, whether resistance is more likely to emerge in areas of high or low transmission depends on malaria intra-host dynamics, the level of drug usage, the population regulation of malaria, and the number of genes required to encode resistance. These factors are discussed in relation to the practical implementation of drug control programmes.

In the extraction of bitumen from oil sands ore, large volumes of railings water (CT water) containing elevated levels of Na, sulfate, bicarbonate and chloride are produced. High salinity process waters will probably affect terrestrial reclamation options. The present study tested the impact of tailings waters on boreal forest species including aspen (Populus tremuloidesMichx.), buffalo berry [Sheperdia canadensis(L.) Nutt], northwest hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides× Populus balsamifera), dogwood (Cornus stoloniferaMichx.), jack pine (Pinus banksianaLamb.), and white spruce [Picea glauca(Moench) Voss]. Seedlings were grown in solution culture containing mineral nutrients and different dilutions of CT water, with and without supplemental salts (Na2SO4and NaCl). After 4 wk of treatment, dogwood, hybrid poplar, and buffalo berry showed relatively high resistance to saline CT waters. Conifer seedlings developed leaf necrosis in all treatments, while aspen seedlings rapidly lost their foliage and produced new leaves. In comparison to the controls, elevated Na levels were measured in plant tissue of all species grown in CT water. However, some differences between species were observed, with jack pine seedlings showing much higher Na content than aspen, dogwood, or hybrid poplar. In hybrid poplar, the accumulation of Na was accompanied by a significant reduction in K, Mg, Ca, and P. Buffalo berry, aspen, jack pine, and white spruce showed elevated levels of S after growth in the sulfate‐enriched CT waters. High tissue Na content did not induce leaf injury in dogwood, hybrid poplar and buffalo berry, suggesting possible Na resistance.

What stops parasites becoming ever more virulent? Conventional wisdom and most parasite–centred models of the evolution of virulence suppose that risk of host (and, hence, parasite) death imposes selection against more virulent strains. Here we selected for high and low virulence within each of two clones of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudion the basis of between–host differences in a surrogate measure of virulence—loss of live weight post–infection. Despite imposing strong selection for low virulence which mimicked 50–75 host mortality, the low virulence lines increased in virulence as much as the high virulence lines. Thus, artificial selection on between–host differences in virulence was unable to counteract natural selection for increased virulence caused by within–host selection processes. The parasite's asexual replication rate and number of sexual transmission forms also increased in all lines, consistent with evolutionary models explaining high virulence. An upper bound to virulence, though not the asexual replication rate, was apparent, but this bound was not imposed by host mortality. Thus, we found evidence of the factors assumed to drive evolution of increased virulence, but not those thought to counter this selection.

Providing good quality diabetes care is complex but achievable. Many aspects of the care do not require high tech medicine but, rather, good organisation. Diabetes is a costly disease, consuming 1500 pounds per diabetic patient per year versus 500 pounds on average for a non-diabetic member of the population in health service costs. Investment now in good quality diabetes care is sound: patients will benefit from a better quality of life associated with a reduced incidence of the complications of diabetes and the direct costs to the health service in treating these complications and the indirect costs to employers will be reduced. Physical and clinical assessments--measurements of blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin concentrations, weight, and blood pressure and assessment of eyes, kidneys, feet, and heart--are clearly important, but quality must include consideration of people and their reactions to life and diabetes--a lifelong entanglement--for which much more support should be provided.

AbstractGenetic markers can be used in breeding programmes in a variety of ways. Here we emphasize marker assisted introgression in crossbred populations, and marker assisted selection in outbred populations. As marker typing costs reduce, the value of their use in a breeding programme will be dominated by returns rather than their costs. Under certain conditions, markers can replace phenotypic selection in introgression programmes, thus obviating the need for rearing individuals in order to measure their phenotype. Studies in dairy cattle populations indicate that marker assisted selection is economically efficient under realistic assumptions regarding costs and benefits.

We have studied the response of erosive or ulcerative esophagitis to treatment with omeprazole and its subsequent relapse on cessation of therapy in 196 patients. In the first phase of the study omeprazole (20 or 40 mg daily) was compared with placebo in 64 patients. After 4 wk there was endoscopic healing in 81% (25 of 31) of omeprazole-treated patients and in only 6% (2 of 32) of placebo-treated patients. Endoscopic healing of esophagitis was accompanied by symptom relief and histologic healing of ulceration. In the second (dose finding) phase a further 132 patients were randomized to omeprazole (20 or 40 mg daily) and endoscopic healing was assessed. In patients with the mildest grade of ulcerative esophagitis (grade 2), healing occurred at 4 wk in 87% receiving 20 mg and in 97% receiving 40 mg. In patients with grade 3 esophagitis, 67% (20 mg) and 88% (40 mg) were healed. Less than half the patients with grade 4 esophagitis (Barrett's ulcers or confluent ulceration) healed with either 20 mg (48%) or 40 mg (44%). Regression analysis in the 164 omeprazole-treated patients showed no evidence that healing was influenced by factors other than severity of esophagitis at entry and omeprazole dose. In phase 3 of the study the rate of endoscopic relapse was determined in 107 endoscopically healed patients after stopping omeprazole. Erosive or ulcerative esophagitis recurred in 88 of 107 (82%) by 6 mo. Neither initial dose, grade of esophagitis, nor smoking was shown to influence relapse rate. Omeprazole is a highly effective treatment for peptic esophagitis. The 40-mg/day dosage produces endoscopic healing slightly more quickly than the 20-mg/day dosage, and the initial endoscopic gradings are of prognostic value. Relapse occurs rapidly when treatment is stopped.

SummaryThe excretion of bromosulphophthalein (BSP) was studied in rats after depletion of their bile salt pool by overnight biliary drainage. Peak biliary BSP excretion was significantly lower (80% of control value) in animals with a depleted bile salt pool; however, treatment with phenobarbital for 5 days before bile salt depletion prevented a reduction in BSP excretion. These studies support the observation that the hepatic excretion of bile salt is an important factor influencing the biliary excretion of BSP.Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science (1980) 58, 415–419; doi:10.1038/icb.1980.42

Rate of grip development (power), time to reach maximum grip strength and fatigue were not affected by the diurnal variation known to influence maximum grip strength and work during grip formation in normal subjects. Rheumatoid hands were less affected by exercise or temperature change of the forearm than were normal hands. Cold more consistently produced change in hand function than did warmth or exercise. Environmental changes affected the dynamic (rates of grip development and release and power) more than the static parameters (maximum grip strength and work) of grip. Measurement of power, fatigue and rate of grip release provide additional parameters useful in the assessment of hand function in patients with arthritis.

In patients with reflux disease, pH monitoring has shown that omeprazole virtually eliminates oesophageal exposure to a pH of less than 4. Motility studies concurrent with pH monitoring have indicated that reflux continues on omeprazole, its effect on acid exposure being entirely dependent on elevation of gastric pH. Omeprazole and placebo have been compared in 64 patients with erosive or ulcerative oesophagitis; the 4-week healing rates were 81% with omeprazole, 20 mg or 40 mg daily, and 6% with placebo. The efficacies of omeprazole at doses of 20 mg and 40 mg daily, were then compared in 164 patients. At 4 weeks, oesophagitis was healed in 70% and 82% of patients for the 20 mg and 40 mg doses respectively (p = 0.05). Eight-week healing rates (79% for 20 mg and 85% for 40 mg) did not differ significantly. Symptom response was excellent for both doses. Relapse of oesophagitis was determined over 6 months for patients healed with omeprazole. Relapse was shown to occur in 88 of 107 patients by 6 months. Omeprazole is a highly effective treatment for erosive/ulcerative peptic oesophagitis, 40 mg daily being marginally superior to 20 mg. Relapse is almost inevitable within 6 months of cessation of therapy.

Estimates of covariance components between scrotal circumference, serving capacity, days to calving, and yearling and final weight were obtained for Hereford, Angus, and Zebu cross cattle in temperate and tropical Australia. Analyses were carried out by REML employing a derivative-free algorithm and fitting bivariate animal models. Aspects of modeling and computational requirements related to the use of this method are discussed. Estimates of heritabilities agreed closely with those from univariate analyses, being low for female reproductive performance and moderate to high for male reproduction and growth. Estimates of genetic correlation between male and female fertility traits were low but favorable, being −.25, −.28, and −.41 between scrotal circumference and days to calving for Herefords, Angus, and Zebu crosses, respectively. Genetic correlations between male reproductive traits and weights ranged from .24 to .52 for the temperate breeds and were higher (.65 to .69) for Zebu crosses. Phenotypic correlations between scrotal circumference and weights were similar for all breeds, ranging from .32 to .47, whereas serving capacity and weights were phenotypically unrelated. Estimates of correlations between days to calving and weights were less consistent. Phenotypically, there was little association between the two traits. Genetic correlations for Zebu crosses were negative and low to moderate (−.36 to −.66) and estimates for Angus were close to zero.

Single-sire natural mating data from a beef cattle herd in tropical Australia were used to estimate heritabilities of cow fertility ( hc2), heritabilities of bull fertility ( hb2) and genetic correlations between cow and bull fertility (rg) within each of six genotypes. Estimates of hc2and hb2were low, averaging .11 and .08, respectively. The pooled estimate of rgwas 0.16, indicating that cow and bull fertility are favorably genetically correlated and therefore that cow fertility could be genetically improved by indirect selection on bull fertility, or some more heritable component of bull fertility.

We analysed nm23, c-erbB-2 and p53 protein expression in lung adenocarcinoma in relation to clinicopathological status and patient survival, to elucidate any potential prognostic value. Published reports suggest that high p53 and c-erbB-2 protein expression and loss of nm23 protein expression are associated with poor prognosis.

Various equations which have been proposed to provide the 'best' functional form for the dependence of rate upon pressure for reactions in solution have been tested for the extraction of ΔV≠and dΔV≠/dpfor the hydrolysis of benzyl chloride at 30 °C and at pressures over the range 1 to 6895 bar. One hundred individual rate constants were determined for this reaction at pressure increments of 345 bar and provide a sufficiently large body of data to permit application of statistical methods for testing the various rate–pressure functions with little risk of bias.

Deterministic sampling was used to numerically evaluate the expected log-likelihood surfaces of QTL-marker linkage models in large pedigrees with simple structures. By calculating the expected values of likelihoods, questions of power of experimental designs, bias in parameter estimates, approximate lower-bound standard errors of estimates and correlations among estimates, and suitability of statistical models were addressed. Examples illustrated that bracket markers around the QTL approximately halved the standard error of the recombination fraction between the QTL and the marker, although they did not affect the standard error of the QTL's effect, that overestimation of the distance between the markers caused overestimation of the distance between the QTL and marker, that more parameters in the model did not affect the accuracy of parameter estimates, that there was a moderate positive correlation between the estimates of the QTL effect and its recombination distance from the marker, and that selective genotyping did not introduce bias into the estimates of the parameters. The method is suggested as a useful tool for exploring the power and accuracy of QTL linkage experiments, and the value of alternative statistical models, whenever the likelihood of the model can be written explictly.

The role of the liver in the catabolism of high density lipoproteins (HDL) was examined in isolated perfused rabbit livers. Using 125I-labeled rabbit HDL the disappearance of labeled apolipoproteins from the perfusate was biphasic with 7% of the label removed after 20 min and a further 6% between 20 and 90 min. In contrast, with HDL labeled with [3H]cholesteryl esters 35% of label had been removed after 90 min. The effect of liver perfusion on HDL size and composition was further studied by recirculating rabbit HDL for 120 min. In control experiments HDL was incubated at 37 degrees C for 120 min with nonperfused media and with media that had been liver perfused. The added HDL was predominantly particles of 4.8-4.9-mm radius, and incubation with nonperfused and preperfused media produced no significant change in size. However, liver perfusion resulted in particles predominantly 4.2-4.3-mm radius. Hepatic perfusion also significantly reduced HDL cholesteryl ester composition as a percentage of lipoproteins mass from 13.3 +/- 2.2% in control incubations to 10.7 +/- 3.1% (p less than 0.001), and cholesteryl ester:protein mass ratio was reduced from 0.31 +/- 0.06 in control to 0.24 +/- 0.10 (p less than 0.001) after 120 min of liver perfusion. Thus interaction of rabbit HDL with rabbit liver results in smaller HDL particles significantly depleted of core cholesteryl esters.

1. The general characteristics and Na and K movements of L cells (derived from mouse epithelium) have been measured. Both cells grown in suspension (LS cells) and as a monolayer (L cells) were used.

1. The chloride content and fluxes, and the membrane potential of L cells have been measured.

Several compounds formed by the acid-catalyzed condensation of cyclohexanone with furan and pyrrole have been isolated and identified. A previously-reported structure for one of the products of the condensation of cyclohexanone with pyrrole has been shown to be incorrect.

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) recommends Early Goal Directed Therapy (EGDT) in the treatment of septic shock, which requires key critical care skills and knowledge. This study evaluates the availability of these skills in Specialist Registrars in acute hospital specialities in the UK. A questionnaire was sent to Specialist Registrars in Anaesthetics, General Surgery and General Medicine throughout Scotland. One hundred and eighty five responses were obtained. One hundred percent of anaesthetists, 70% of surgeons and 51% of physicians were aware of EGDT. Only 62 trainees (6% of surgeons, 79% of anaesthetists, 19% of physicians) had the full complement of skills and knowledge to implement EGDT. This study demonstrates that non-anaesthetic registrars in the UK lack both knowledge and skills required to provide EGDT. The main deficit was in awareness, demonstrating that knowledge of EGDT is not penetrating into specialities beyond anaesthesia. It is now time for the SSC to specifically target non-anaesthetic specialities.

Twenty-one adult outpatients with dyspepsia and endoscopically proven duodenitis without chronic ulceration completed a double-blind trial of either cimetidine (1 g/day) or placebo. Treatment with cimetidine for 6 weeks resulted in a significant improvement in symptoms and in the endoscopic appearance of the duodenitis when compared to treatment with placebo. The symptomatic and endoscopic inprovement, however, was not associated with any significant change in the histological grading of the duodenitis.

The vanY gene of vancomycin-resistant enterococci encodes a D,D-carboxypeptidase. By using a PCR detection strategy, a VanA Enterococcus faecium clinical isolate was found to have an insertion sequence (IS)-like element designated IS1476 in vanY. The activity of the VanY D,D-carboxypeptidase in this isolate was decreased in a fluorometric fluoraldehyde o-phthalaldehyde assay with diacetyl-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala as the substrate. This, to our knowledge, is the first report of an IS-like element in a vancomycin resistance gene.