Plant communities of the upper Murrumbidgee catchment in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

Native vegetation of the upper Murrumbidgee catchment in southeast NSW and the Australian Capital-Territory (ACT) was classified into 75 plant communities across 18 NSW Vegetation Classes within nine Structural-Formations. Plant communities were derived through numerical analysis of 4,106 field survey plots including 3,787-plots from 58 existing survey datasets and 319 new plots, which were sampled in under surveyed ecosystems. All plant-communities are described at a level appropriate for discrimination of threatened ecological communities and distinct-vegetation mapping units. The classification describes plant communities in the context of the upper Murrumbidgee catchment and surrounding-landscapes of similar ecological character. It incorporates and, in some instances, refines identification of plant-communities described in previous classifications of alpine vegetation, forest ecosystems, woodlands and grasslands-across the Australian Alps and South Eastern Highlands within the upper Murrumbidgee catchment. Altitude,-precipitation, soil saturation, lithology, slope, aspect and landscape position were all important factors in guiding-plant community associations. Nine Threatened Ecological Communities under Commonwealth, NSW and ACT legislation occur in the upper-Murrumbidgee catchment. This study has also identified five additional plant communities which are highly restricted-in distribution and may require active management or protection to ensure their survival

Sensing of endogenous nucleic acids by ZBP1 induces keratinocyte necroptosis and skin inflammation

Aberrant detection of endogenous nucleic acids by the immune system can cause inflammatory disease. The scaffold function of the signaling kinase RIPK1 limits spontaneous activation of the nucleic acid sensor ZBP1. Consequently, loss of RIPK1 in keratinocytes induces ZBP1-dependent necroptosis and skin inflammation. Whether nucleic acid sensing is required to activate ZBP1 in RIPK1-deficient conditions and which immune pathways are associated with skin disease remained open questions. Using knock-in mice with disrupted ZBP1 nucleic acid–binding activity, we report that sensing of endogenous nucleic acids by ZBP1 is critical in driving skin pathology characterized by antiviral and IL-17 immune responses. Inducing ZBP1 expression by interferons triggers necroptosis in RIPK1-deficient keratinocytes, and epidermis-specific deletion of MLKL prevents disease, demonstrating that cell-intrinsic events cause inflammation. These findings indicate that dysregulated sensing of endogenous nucleic acid by ZBP1 can drive inflammation and may contribute to the pathogenesis of IL-17–driven inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis

Is anti-viral defence the evolutionary origin of mRNA turnover? (Comment on DOI 10.1002/bies.201600100).

"Is anti-viral defence the evolutionary origin of mRNA turnover?": Comment by J Rehwinkel on "Exaptive origins of regulated mRNA decay in eukaryotes" Hamid and Makeyev (2016; 10.1002/bies.201600100).In this issue of BioEssays, Hamid and Makeyev explore an interesting new idea regarding the evolutionary origins of regulated mRNA turnover pathways ... This hypothesis – that molecular mechanisms nowadays primarily involved in regulated mRNA decay have their origin in anti-viral defence – provides interesting new perspectives on host-pathogen co-evolution and on molecular recognition of RNA

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The Christian and Government

Good government is one of the most precious temporal gifts God gives to a people, while a vicious, corrupt. and incompetent government may become the greatest curse. Every citizen is therefore vitally interested in the establishment and maintenance of good government. The Christian, however, as a citizen in two realms has an even greater stake in good government than the non-Christian. According to 1 Tim. 2:1-4 good government is necessary not only for the individual\u27s physical and temporal well-being, but also-and this primarily -for the carrying out of God\u27s gracious purposes concerning the eternal welfare of all men

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The Christian and Government

Government is not above the Moral I.aw, but subject to it. In fact, government exists for the maintenance of the moral order. For he is the minister of God to thee for good; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid (Rom.13:4). Governments cannot abrogate the Moral Law nor any of the Commandments of the Decalog. The legislation and administration of law must be in harmony with the Moral Law. Governments are responsible to God. For he is a minister of God