Functional and Genetic characterization of new genomic islands from an E. coli strain associated with neonatal meningitis.

Enterobacteriaceae genomes evolve through mutations, rearrangements and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The latter evolutionary pathway works through the acquisition DNA (GEI) modules of foreign origin that enhances fitness of the host to a given environment. The genome of E. coli IHE3034, a strain isolated from a case of neonatal meningitis, has recently been sequenced and its subsequent sequence analysis has predicted 18 possible GEIs, of which: 8 have not been previously described, 5 fully meet the pathogenic island definition and at least 10 that seem to be of prophagic origin. In order to study the GEI distribution of our reference strain, we screened for the presence 18 GEIs a panel of 132 strains, representative of E. coli diversity. Also, using an inverse nested PCR approach we identified 9 GEI that can form an extrachromosomal circular intermediate (CI) and their respective attachment sites (att). Further, we set up a qPCR approach that allowed us to determine the excision rates of 5 genomic islands in different growth conditions. Four islands, specific for strains appertaining to the sequence type complex 95 (STC95), have been deleted in order to assess their function in a Dictyostelium discoideum grazing assays. Overall, the distribution data presented here indicate that 16 IHE3034 GEIs are more associated to the STC95 strains. Also the functional and genetic characterization has uncovered that GEI 13, 17 and 19 are involved in the resistance to phagocitation by Dictyostelium d thus suggesting a possible role in the adaptation of the pathogen during certain stages of infection.

EPANET Input Files of New York tunnels and Pacific City used in a metamodel-based optimization study

Metamodels have proven be very useful when it comes to reducing the computational requirements of Evolutionary Algorithm-based optimization by acting as quick-solving surrogates for slow-solving fitness functions. The relationship between metamodel scope and objective function varies between applications, that is, in some cases the metamodel acts as a surrogate for the whole fitness function, whereas in other cases it replaces only a component of the fitness function. This paper presents a formalized qualitative process to evaluate a fitness function to determine the most suitable metamodel scope so as to increase the likelihood of calibrating a high-fidelity metamodel and hence obtain good optimization results in a reasonable amount of time. The process is applied to the risk-based optimization of water distribution systems; a very computationally-intensive problem for real-world systems. The process is validated with a simple case study (modified New York Tunnels) and the power of metamodelling is demonstrated on a real-world case study (Pacific City) with a computational speed-up of several orders of magnitude.

Island bibliographies. Micronesian botany; land environment and ecology of coral atolls; vegetation of tropical Pacific islands,

Mode of access: Internet.

Arthropods of medical importance in Australia and the Pacific islands,

At head of title: Technical report 68-61-ES.

A new account of the East Indies : being the observations and remarks of Capt. Alexander Hamilton, who spent his time there from the year 1688 to 1723, trading and travelling, by sea and land, to most of the countries and islands of commerce and navigation, between the cape of Good-hope, and the island of Japon : volume I [- II]

En el t.II: "A table of weights, measures and coins used in several parts of the East Indies" (10 p.)

America revisited: from the bay of New York to the Gulf of Mexico, and from Lake Michigan to the Pacific.

5th ed.

A revised catalogue of the birds of China and its islands, with descriptions of new species, references to former notes, and occasional remarks.

Caption title.

Laws of the state of New-Jersey, regulating fisheries in the river Delaware; to which is prefixed the agreement between the states of Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, settling the jurisdiction of the river Delaware and its islands.

Mode of access: Internet.

Journal of a tour in the State of New York, in the year 1830 : with remarks on agriculture in those parts most eligible for settlers : and return to England by the Western Islands, in consequence of shipwreck in the Robert Fulton /

Mode of access: Internet.

Travels abroad, embracing Holland, England, Belgium, France, Sandwich Islands, New Zealand, Australia, &c., with some reflections on the Pacific Coast, /

Letters by a Lynchburg, Va. manufacturer to his son describing an expedition through Europe, United States and Australia in 1885-88.

A new and accurate description of the coast of Guinea, divided into the Gold, the Slave, and the Ivory Coasts : containing a geographical, political and natural history of the kingdoms and countries : with a particular account of the rise, progress and present condition of all the European settlements upon that coast : and the just measures for improving the several branches of the Guinea trade : illustrated with several cutts /

Includes index.

A geographical sketch of that part of North America, called Oregon: containing an account of the Indian title;--the nature of a right of sovereignty;--the first discoveries;--climate and seasons;--face of the country and mountains--natural divisions, physical appearance and soil of each;--forests and vegetable productions;--rivers, bays; &c.; islands, &c.; animals;--the disposition of the Indians, and the number and situation of their tribes;--together with an essay on the advantages resulting from a settlement of the territory. To which is attached a new map of the country.

Mode of access: Internet.

Brochure in regard to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Co., the "New Mexico-Southern" or "Thirty-fifth parallel" route, and the first mortgage bonds of its western division.

Mode of access: Internet.