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Microbial biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) encoding secondary metabolites are thought to impact a plethora of biologically mediated environmental processes, yet their discovery and functional characterization in natural microbiomes remains challenging. Here we describe deep long-read sequencing and assembly of metagenomes from biological soil crusts, a group of soil communities that are rich in BGCs. Taking advantage of the unusually long assemblies produced by this approach, we recovered nearly 3,000 BGCs for analysis, including 712 full-length BGCs. Functional exploration through metatranscriptome analysis of a 3-day wetting experiment uncovered phylum-specific BGC expression upon activation from dormancy, elucidating distinct roles and complex phylogenetic and temporal dynamics in wetting processes. For example, a pronounced increase in BGC transcription occurs at night primarily in cyanobacteria, implicating BGCs in nutrient scavenging roles and niche competition. Taken together, our results demonstrate that long-read metagenomic sequencing combined with metatranscriptomic analysis provides a direct view into the functional dynamics of BGCs in environmental processes and suggests a central role of secondary metabolites in maintaining phylogenetically conserved niches within biocrusts. Marc Van Goethem et al. combine short- and long-read sequencing from biocrust samples to report nearly 3,000 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) encoding microbial secondary metabolites. Their results demonstrate the advantage of integrated metatranscriptomic and long-read metagenomic sequencing in analyzing BGCs and provides insight into the role of secondary metabolites in maintaining phylogenetic niches in biocrusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe a case of p-ANCA associated vasculitis in a patient with bilateral vision loss with no systemic symptoms or signsMethods: A descriptive review of a caseResults: We report a case of bilateral sequential vision loss in a 73-year-old woman who had no constitutional symptoms except headache and was found to have positive p-ANCA and lymphocytic infiltration on bilateral temporal artery biopsy. Despite the early administration of systemic corticosteroids, the visual outcome was unfavorable.Conclusion: It is important to consider ANCA associated vasculitides when temporal artery biopsy does not support GCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aleochara blackburni Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz (Aleocharinae) is a little‐known coastal rove beetle, not studied since a specimen was collected from coasts in Port Lincoln, South Australia, in 1888. We report the discovery of additional specimens, which were collected at sites distributed between the central‐east and south‐east coasts of Tasmania, Australia. Habitus photographs, a redescription, host records and illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided. To investigate the phylogenetic placement of A. blackburni and taxonomic problems within the Emplenota and Triochara clade, we studied 34 populations of 13 coastal and one inland species and generated a molecular phylogeny of the genus Aleochara Gravenhorst based on three partial mitochondrial genes (COI, tRNA leucine and COII). Our results showed that A. blackburni was the sister group of the bilineata clade + curtula clade and suggested that A. curtidens Klimaszewski (Vancouver, Canada) and A. trisulcata Weise (Chiba, Japan) used in a previous study were misidentifications of A. fucicola Sharp and A. zerchei (Assing), respectively. Five independent origins of specialisation to coastal habitat in the genus Aleochara (clades A–E) are hypothesised, of which A. blackburni has independently colonised the Southern Australian coast (clade E). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covering up to: 1999–2016 This highlight covers a family of enzymes of growing importance, the sedoheptulose 7-phosphate cyclases, initially of interest due to their involvement in the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically relevant secondary metabolites. More recently, these enzymes have been found throughout Prokarya and Eukarya, suggesting their broad potential biological roles in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A substantial body of work has related survey-based parental vaccine hesitancy to noncompliant childhood immunization. However little attention has been paid to the connection between parents' own immunization behavior and the immunizations their children receive. METHODS: Using the Oregon ALERT Immunization Information System, we identified adult caregiver-child pairs for children between 9 months and 17 years of age. The likelihood of adult-child concordance of influenza immunization per influenza season from 2010-2011 through 2014-2015 was assessed. The utility of adult immunization as a predictor was also assessed for other, noninfluenza recommended immunizations for children and adolescents. RESULTS: A total of 450 687 matched adult caregiver-child pairs were included in the study. The children of immunizing adults were 2.77 times more likely to also be immunized for seasonal influenza across all seasons (95% confidence interval, 2.74-2.79), with similar results applying within each season. Adult immunization status was also significantly associated with the likelihood of children and adolescents getting other noninfluenza immunizations, such as the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). When adults improved their own behavior from nonimmunizing to immunizing across influenza seasons, their children if not immunized in the previous season were 5.44 times (95% confidence interval, 5.35-5.53) more likely to become immunized for influenza. CONCLUSIONS: Children's likelihood of following immunization recommendations is associated with the immunization behavior of their parents. Encouraging parental immunization is a potential tool for increasing children's immunization rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal personality studies rely on collecting repeated behavioural data either in the field or under laboratory conditions. Conditions in the field should be far less stable than controlled laboratory conditions, and hence represent a potential source of variation in behaviour. Here we report on the first experiment to our knowledge that formally compares the repeatability of identical behaviours in the laboratory and the field, and across the transition from laboratory to field. Using a design that controls for observation number we compared two groups of sea anemones, observed across two experimental phases, either (1) in the field followed by the laboratory or (2) in the laboratory only. We analysed differences in behaviour across a range of levels including repeatability and its between- and within-individual variance components. Although mean startle response durations varied between the laboratory and field, there was no significant difference in repeatability across situations. Within-individual variance differed between the two periods of the experiment for animals observed only in the laboratory but this effect was not present for those that transitioned from field to laboratory. Furthermore, the rank order of individual responses was stable for animals observed only in the laboratory but changed for those that transitioned from field to laboratory. These results show that although repeatability estimates in the laboratory can yield results like those obtained in the field, the underlying components of consistent variation in behaviour might be influenced by an interaction between prior experiences and the current situation in which the animals are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iotarphia rufobrunnea Lee & Ahn, sp. n. is described from Tasmania. The new species is compared with another species of the genus, I. australis Cameron. A description, habitus photograph and illustrations of the diagnostic characters are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study reporting the unexpected discovery that fish can synthesize gadusol de novo and that the analogous pathways are also present in amphibians, reptiles, and birds, while it shows that engineered yeast containing the fish genes can produce and secrete gadusol.

S isyra nigrescens sp. nov. is described from Four Springs Lake and Wadley's Dam, Northern Tasmania, bringing the total number of described species of Sisyridae ( Spongillaflies) known from Australia to nine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recirculating aquaculture systems offer potential finfish production units for small-scale entities as well as large-scale operations. However, the water treatment components of such systems require efficient and proper operation to assure successful production. This study evaluated the solids removal ability of three water treatment components in a two-tank recirculating aquaculture system (28m3) utilized for the warmwater production of tilapia. The components include a swirl separator, a floating plastic bead bioclarifier, and a fluidized sand filter. Sampling was conducted at five different points in the system with each sample volume being serially fractionated through sieves in size ranging from 23 to 500μm. Total suspended solids analysis was completed on each sample set to determine the particle size distribution of the influent and effluent water and removal efficiency of each component. The removal efficiency of the swirl separator was over 90% for particles larger than 250μm and the propeller-wash bead filter had removal efficiencies greater than 85% for particles larger than 55μm. The fluidized sand filter had the best removal for the smaller size particles with over 65% removal efficiency for particles between 23 and 55μm. The overall reduction in total suspended solids for the treatment loop of the three components of this small-scale experimental unit was over 85% and adequately removed the suspended solids from the recirculating water for tilapia growout production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When designing a building intended to be resistant to progressive collapse, it is instructive to consider this problem from the point of view of an implosion contractor who regularly demolishes buildings through explosives-induced progressive failure. All buildings want to fall down, but are prevented from doing so through their structural columns, walls and transfer girders. Innumerable ergs of potential energy are just waiting to be released. The implosion contractor creates a progressive collapse by releasing this energy through the sequential explosive removal of key structural supports, allowing gravity to do the remaining work, simultaneously using the minimum amount of explosives, creating the maximum amount of fragmentation, and minimizing the potential fly of debris. In this paper, we will explore several building structural systems and how their implosion has historically been achieved, comparing the amount of effort required in each system to affect an implosion as related to the susceptibility of that type of building to progressive collapse and identifying those types that lend themselves to it. The building structural systems described represent actual case studies. By comparison of different systems from the implosion contractor’s perspective, the design engineer will gain unique knowledge about systems that are inherently resistant to progressive collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the rhyme scheme used in the literary style of poet Paul Muldoon. Evolution of fuzzy rhyme; Details on the principles of fuzzy rhyme; Analyses on semantic and strategic functions of two short poems in the literature `Meeting the British'; Implications of linguistic and cultural conquest for rhyming and allusiveness in the works of Muldoon.

The article reports that Russian paediatrician Leonid Roshal has alleged that the health system of Russia is riddled with corruption, neglect, and incompetence.

The article reports on the public health crisis in Moscow, Russia brought about by unprecedented heat wave, along with a deadly outbreak of forest fires, in August 2010. As reported, approximately 52 people across Russia have died in fires, while city residents have complained of breathing difficulties, stinging eyes and severe depression. It mentions the public advisory issued by the city's health department and some city officials.

The article discusses the statement of Boris Gryzlov, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, regarding the impact of the epidemic use of desomorphine to more than 100,000 people in Russia.

The article reports on the legal classification of beer as an alcoholic beverage in Russia.

The article reports that the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging Russia to change its approach to managing HIV and AIDS. At the annual conference of WHO's regional committee for Europe in 2010, WHO officials learned that Russia is one of the countries with the fastest growing number of HIV cases. WHO officials encourage Russian officials to implement needle exchange programs for injecting drug users, along with removing the ban on the use of opioid substitution therapy with methadone and buprenorphine.

The article focuses on a Russian law that will ban the sale of vodka and other spirits by supermarkets, shops and kiosks in Moscow after 10 in the evening under a new government strategy to reduce the nationwide consumption of alcohol in the next decade.

The article unveils the plan of Russia to reform its health care sector. Proposed changes include more funding for underfunded sectors, increasing the compulsory medical insurance contributions paid by employers, and renovating hospitals and buying new equipment. Russian minister for health and social development Tatyana Golikova said that compulsory health insurance fund will receive extra funds. According to the author, providing an insurance policy to people could solve the problems surrounding the health care sector.

This article reports that three Russian doctors face a criminal trial after being accused of endangering children in the course of trials for a GlaxoSmithKline vaccine study. The prosecution claims that the doctors tested vaccines on young babies who were not fully healthy and that parental permission was not obtained. The physicians say they did nothing wrong and that the trials were done in accordance with the law. The author suggests that the doctors are the victims of a political storm created by the Russian media.

Reports that efforts to deal with increasing levels of alcoholism in Russia have been derailed. Popularity of beer in Russia; Details of a bill that would have banned the drinking of beer in public places in Russia; Defeat of the bill by the Federation Council, or upper house.

Offers a look at health care reforms in Russia as of May 2004. Quality of health care in Russia; Discussion of medical legislation drafted by President Vladimir Putin's government; Report that many doctors and health care workers would be laid off if the legislation is passed; Changes to be made to hospital admission policies.

Reports that four Russian doctors were charged with plotting to murder a patient for his kidneys. Claim that they wanted to use the kidneys for lucrative and possibly illegal transplantations; Statement by the doctors that the patient was clinically dead when they made the decision to take his organs.