Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius) and A. parallelus (Newman) are longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Elaphidiini) that closely resemble each other in appearance. In practice, if antennomere 3 is distinctly longer than antennomere 4, the specimen is considered to be A. villosus, but the accuracy of this methodology is unknown. Authorities disagree about the ease of separating these two species based on morphological traits, and recent work hypothesises that they should be synonymised due to the difficulty of distinguishing them by either morphology or natural history. Assuming correct initial species determinations of curated specimens, as well as of those determined with DNA barcoding and by the primary author, data from 23 body measurements were collected from 50 A. villosus and 60 A. parallelus specimens. Stepwise discriminant analyses and discriminant functions were used to evaluate the ability to distinguish these species based on morphology. Species assignments from discriminant functions were very accurate and were supported by assignments determined with DNA barcoding. The ability to distinguish A. villosus and A. parallelus based on morphological and molecular differences provides evidence against the taxonomic hypothesis of synonymy under one species. A need for greater ecological understanding of these species remains.

There are a variety of causes of acute heart failure in children including myocarditis, genetic/metabolic conditions, and congenital heart defects. In cases with a structurally normal heart and a negative personal and family history, myocarditis is often presumed to be the cause, but we hypothesise that genetic disorders contribute to a significant portion of these cases. We reviewed our cases of children who presented with acute heart failure and underwent genetic testing from 2008 to 2017. Eighty-seven percent of these individuals were found to have either a genetic syndrome or pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in a cardiac-related gene. None of these individuals had a personal or family history of cardiomyopathy that was suggestive of a genetic aetiology prior to presentation. All of these individuals either passed away or were listed for cardiac transplantation indicating genetic testing may provide important information regarding prognosis in addition to providing information critical to assessment of family members.

The discovery of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave signal has generated follow-up observations by over 50 facilities world-wide, ushering in the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. In this paper, we present follow-up observations of the gravitational wave event GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart SSS17a/DLT17ck (IAU label AT2017gfo) by 14 Australian telescopes and partner observatories as part of Australian-based and Australian-led research programs. We report early- to late-time multi-wavelength observations, including optical imaging and spectroscopy, mid-infrared imaging, radio imaging, and searches for fast radio bursts. Our optical spectra reveal that the transient source emission cooled from approximately 6 400 K to 2 100 K over a 7-d period and produced no significant optical emission lines. The spectral profiles, cooling rate, and photometric light curves are consistent with the expected outburst and subsequent processes of a binary neutron star merger. Star formation in the host galaxy probably ceased at least a Gyr ago, although there is evidence for a galaxy merger. Binary pulsars with short (100 Myr) decay times are therefore unlikely progenitors, but pulsars like PSR B1534+12 with its 2.7 Gyr coalescence time could produce such a merger. The displacement (~2.2 kpc) of the binary star system from the centre of the main galaxy is not unusual for stars in the host galaxy or stars originating in the merging galaxy, and therefore any constraints on the kick velocity imparted to the progenitor are poor.

Oak twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus (Newman); Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae develop inside twigs pruned from host plants. Reasons for this behaviour are unknown and differential emergence due to twig diameter has not been explored. Twigs pruned from walnuts (Juglans nigra Linnaeus; Juglandaceae) (n=179) and oaks (Quercus Linnaeus; Fagaceae) (n=84) were collected in Pennsylvania, United States of America in 2010; 118 pruned oak twigs were collected in New York State, United States of America in 2012. Twigs from 2012 were dissected to determine rates of emergence and larval mortality; both samples were examined for parasitoids. As the diameter of oak twigs (range of 3–16 mm) increased, larval mortality increased and adult emergence decreased. Date of collection did not influence twig diameter nor emergence rates. Three new parasitoids were associated with the oak twig pruner: Atanycolus Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Eubazus denticulatus (Martin) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and a potentially new genus of wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Hormiinae near Pambolus Haliday). Parasitism rates were an order of magnitude greater among twigs that contained more than one larva or pupa (23.1%; n=26) compared to those that contained only one (2.3%; n=341).

When finally U.S. political archives are reviewed comprehensively and definitively, one confusing point will still linger unresolved: were the artisans of politics crafting policy in response to visions of a public or a private interest? Portz and Eisinger's comparative analysis of state economic development efforts, with hopes pegged on biotechnology, grapples with that distinction at least by implication. Their instructive article needs revisiting - - and their useful findings and conclusions need follow-up research — because there is logical reason to fear that the strategic planning process is no more or less directed toward the public interest than is private interest advocacy.