Novel Class 1 Integron Harboring Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Wastewater-Derived Bacteria as Revealed by Functional Metagenomics

Combatting antibiotic resistance is critical to our ability to treat infectious diseases. Here, we identified and characterized diverse antimicrobial resistance genes, including potentially mobile elements, from synthetic wastewater treatment microcosms exposed to the antibacterial agent triclosan. After seven weeks of exposure, the microcosms were subjected to functional metagenomic selection across 13 antimicrobials. This was achieved by cloning the combined genetic material from the microcosms, introducing this genetic library into E. coli, and selecting for clones that grew on media supplemented with one of the 13 antimicrobials. We recovered resistant clones capable of growth on media supplemented with a single antimicrobial, yielding 13 clones conferring resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent. Antibiotic susceptibility analysis revealed resistance ranging from 4 to \u3e50 fold more resistant, while one clone showed resistance to multiple antibiotics. Using both Sanger and SMRT sequencing, we identified the predicted active gene(s) on each clone. One clone that conferred resistance to tetracycline contained a gene encoding a novel tetA-type efflux pump that was named TetA(62). Three clones contained predicted active genes on class 1 integrons. One integron had a previously unreported genetic arrangement and was named In1875. This study demonstrated the diversity and potential for spread of resistance genes present in human-impacted environments

Identification of a Novel Plasmid-Borne Gentamicin Resistance Gene in Nontyphoidal Salmonella Isolated from Retail Turkey

The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria presents a global health challenge. Efficient surveillance of bacteria harboring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a critical aspect to controlling the spread. Increased access to microbial genomic data from many diverse populations informs this surveillance but only when functional ARGs are identifiable within the data set. Current, homology-based approaches are effective at identifying the majority of ARGs within given clinical and nonclinical data sets for several pathogens, yet there are still some whose identities remain elusive. By coupling phenotypic profiling with genotypic data, these unknown ARGs can be identified to strengthen homology-based searches. To prove the efficacy and feasibility of this approach, a published data set from the U.S. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), for which the phenotypic and genotypic data of 640 Salmonella isolates are available, was subjected to this analysis. Six isolates recovered from the NARMS retail meat program between 2011 and 2013 were identified previously as phenotypically resistant to gentamicin but contained no known gentamicin resistance gene. Using the phenotypic and genotypic data, a comparative genomics approach was employed to identify the gene responsible for the observed resistance in all six of the isolates. This gene, grdA, is harbored on a 9,016-bp plasmid that is transferrable to Escherichia coli, confers gentamicin resistance to E. coli, and has never before been reported to confer gentamicin resistance. Bioinformatic analysis of the encoded protein suggests an ATP binding motif. This work demonstrates the advantages associated with coupling genomics technologies with phenotypic data for novel ARG identification

Adelaide Botanic Garden conservation study

This Conservation Study was commissioned in May 2003 in accordance with a project brief dated February 2003. The project brief stated that the Conservation Study will include a review of: (a) Existing natural, archaeological, and cultural heritage sources, and a bibliography relating to the Gardens estates; (b) Plans that illustrate the history of significant changes to the Gardens estates; (c) Principles and guidelines for the conservation of cultural heritage (including buildings, buildings, paths, hard landscape elements, living collections, and landscape) in the context of the Gardens as a contemporary scientific and cultural institution; and result in the preparation of: (d) A Statement of Significance for each Garden identifying (and prioritising) heritage values in the context of the Gardens’ role as a scientific and cultural institution; (e) Recommendations for conservaton works and management (or further conservation studies) for individual elements (e.g. Victoria house, significant trees) and collections (e.g. statuary, botanical collections); (f) Documentation of the constraints and opportunities arising from the Statement of Sinificance and their impact on current operations and the Site Master Plans; and, (g) Possible funding opportunities and partnership

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden conservation study

This report details a Conservation Study for the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden as part of a consultancy to the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. The study is a key component of a separate consultancy involving the preparation of a site master plan for the renovation and future management of the Garden, being prepared by Taylor Cullity Lethlean

Resiliency in the Age of COVID-19: A Policy Toolkit

Twenty-nine LBJ School authors have come together to craft interdisciplinary and resilience-based policy solutions in one toolkit called Resiliency in the Age of COVID-19. In 18 articles that span public management, climate change, economic development, national security and more, LBJ School policy authors provide a forward-thinking lens on what went wrong and what leadership, public policies and initiatives it will take to fix the system flaws exposed by the pandemic. Published during the LBJ School’s 50th anniversary year, the toolkit also provides a snapshot of the school’s depth and breadth of policy and research engagement at this moment in time.Public Affair

Localization of dense intracranial electrode arrays using magnetic resonance imaging

Intracranial electrode arrays are routinely used in the pre-surgical evaluation of patients with medically refractory epilepsy, and recordings from these electrodes have been increasingly employed in human cognitive neurophysiology due to their high spatial and temporal resolution. For both researchers and clinicians, it is critical to localize electrode positions relative to the subject-specific neuroanatomy. In many centers, a post-implantation MRI is utilized for electrode detection because of its higher sensitivity for surgical complications and the absence of radiation. However, magnetic susceptibility artifacts surrounding each electrode prohibit unambiguous detection of individual electrodes, especially those that are embedded within dense grid arrays. Here, we present an efficient method to accurately localize intracranial electrode arrays based on pre- and post-implantation MR images that incorporates array geometry and the individual's cortical surface. Electrodes are directly visualized relative to the underlying gyral anatomy of the reconstructed cortical surface of individual patients. Validation of this approach shows high spatial accuracy of the localized electrode positions (mean of 0.96 mm±0.81 mm for 271 electrodes across 8 patients). Minimal user input, short processing time, and utilization of radiation-free imaging are strong incentives to incorporate quantitatively accurate localization of intracranial electrode arrays with MRI for research and clinical purposes. Co-registration to a standard brain atlas further allows inter-subject comparisons and relation of intracranial EEG findings to the larger body of neuroimaging literature

Decomposing Consumer Wealth Effects: Evidence on the Role of Real Estate Assets Following the Wealth Cycle of 1990-2002

During the period from 1990 to 2002, U.S. households experienced a dramatic wealth cycle, induced by a 369-percent appreciation in the value of real per capita liquid stock-market assets, followed by a 55-percent decline. However, despite predictions at the time by some analysts relying on life-cycle models of consumption, consumer spending in real terms continued to rise throughout this period. Using data from 1990 to 2005, traditional approaches to estimating macroeconomic wealth effects on consumption confront two puzzles: (i) econometric evidence of a stable cointegrating relationship among consumption, income, and wealth is weak at best; and (ii) life-cycle models that rely on aggregate measures of wealth cannot explain why consumption did not collapse when the value of stock-market assets declined so dramatically. We address both puzzles by decomposing wealth according to the liquidity of household assets. In particular, we find that significant appreciation in the value of real estate assets that occurred after the peak of the wealth cycle helped to sustain consumer spending from 2000 to 2005