A new synziphosurine (Chelicerata: Xiphosura) is described from the Late Llandovery (Silurian) Konservat-Lagerstätte of Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. Venustulus waukeshaensis n.gen. and sp. is characterized by a semicircular carapace with a slightly procurved posterior margin lacking genal spines and an opisthosoma composed of 10 freely articulating segments, divided into a preabdomen of seven segments with blunt pleurae and a postabdomen of three segments lacking pleurae. The tail spine is short and styliform. This is the earliest known unequivocal synziphosurine, extending their fossil record from the Wenlock to the Llandovery, and only the second species to be described with prosomal appendages; the presence of six pairs (a pair of chelicerae and five pairs of walking legs) contrasts with the seven in the synziphosurine Weinbergina opitzi, but is comparable to the number in modern horseshoe crabs. V. waukeshaensis n. gen. and sp. is not assigned to a family here pending a wider revision, but it bears most resemblance to the Weinberginidae.

Sea ice microalgae actively contribute to the pool of dissolved organic matter (DOM) available for bacterial metabolism, but this link has historically relied on bulk correlations between chlorophyll a (a surrogate for algal biomass) and bacterial abundance. We incubated microbes from both the bottom (congelation layer) and surface brine region of Antarctic fast ice for nine days. Algal-derived DOM was manipulated by varying the duration of irradiance, restricting photosynthesis with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) or incubating in the dark. The bacterial response to changes in DOM availability was examined by performing cell counts, quantifying bacterial metabolic activity and examining community composition with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The percentage of metabolically active bacteria was relatively low in the surface brine microcosm (10–20% of the bacterial community), the treatment with DCMU indirectly restricted bacterial growth and there was some evidence for changes in community structure. Metabolic activity was higher (35–69%) in the bottom ice microcosm, and while there was no variation in community structure, bacterial growth was restricted in the treatment with DCMU compared to the light/dark treatment. These results are considered preliminary, but provide a useful illustration of sea ice microbial dynamics beyond the use of ‘snapshot’ biomass correlations.

Examining the relationship between glucose intolerance and dietary intake in genetically similar populations with different dietary patterns and rates of type 2 diabetes may provide important insights into the role of diet in the pathogenesis of this disease. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between dietary variables and dysglycaemia/type 2 diabetes among three populations of African origin. The study design consists of a cross-sectional study of men and women of African descent aged 24–74 years from Cameroon (n 1790), Jamaica (n 857) and Manchester, UK (n 258) who were not known to have diabetes. Each participant had anthropometric measurements and underwent a 2 h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Habitual dietary intake was estimated with quantitative FFQ, developed specifically for each country. The age-adjusted prevalence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in Cameroon was low (1·1 %), but it was higher in Jamaica (11·6 %) and the UK (12·6 %). Adjusted generalised linear and latent mixed models used to obtain OR indicated that each 1·0 % increment in energy from protein, total fat and saturated fats significantly increased the odds of type 2 diabetes by 9 (95 % CI 1·02, 1·16) %, 5 (95 % CI, 1·01, 1·08) % and 16 (95 % CI 1·08, 1·25) %, respectively. A 1 % increase in energy from carbohydrates and a 0·1 unit increment in the PUFA:SFA ratio were associated with significantly reduced odds of type 2 diabetes. The results show independent effects of dietary factors on hyperglycaemia in African origin populations. Whether modifying intake of specific macronutrients helps diabetes prevention needs testing in randomised trials.

The glaucomas are neurodegenerative diseases involving death of retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve head excavation. A major risk factor for this neurodegeneration is a harmfully elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Human glaucomas are typically complex, progressive diseases that are prevalent in the elderly. Family history and genetic factors are clearly important in human glaucoma. Mouse studies have proven helpful for investigating the genetic and mechanistic basis of complex diseases. We previously reported inherited, age-related progressive glaucoma in DBA/2J mice. Here, we report our updated findings from studying the disease in a large number of DBA/2J mice. The period when mice have elevated IOP extends from 6 months to 16 months, with 8–9 months representing an important transition to high IOP for many mice. Optic nerve degeneration follows IOP elevation, with the majority of optic nerves being severely damaged by 12 months of age. This information should help with the design of experiments, and we present the data in a manner that will be useful for future studies of retinal ganglion cell degeneration and optic neuropathy.