The Simons Observatory: Cryogenic half wave plate rotation mechanism for the small aperture telescopes.

We present the requirements, design, and evaluation of the cryogenic continuously rotating half-wave plate (CHWP) for the Simons Observatory (SO). SO is a cosmic microwave background polarization experiment at Parque Astronómico de Atacama in northern Chile that covers a wide range of angular scales using both small (⌀0.42 m) and large (⌀6 m) aperture telescopes. In particular, the small aperture telescopes (SATs) focus on large angular scales for primordial B-mode polarization. To this end, the SATs employ a CHWP to modulate the polarization of the incident light at 8 Hz, suppressing atmospheric 1/f noise and mitigating systematic uncertainties that would otherwise arise due to the differential response of detectors sensitive to orthogonal polarizations. The CHWP consists of a 505 mm diameter achromatic sapphire HWP and a cryogenic rotation mechanism, both of which are cooled down to ∼50 K to reduce detector thermal loading. Under normal operation, the HWP is suspended by a superconducting magnetic bearing and rotates with a constant 2 Hz frequency, controlled by an electromagnetic synchronous motor. We find that the number of superconductors and the number of magnets that make up the superconducting magnetic bearing are important design parameters, especially for the rotation mechanism's vibration performance. The rotation angle is detected through an angular encoder with a noise level of 0.07 µrad s. During a cooldown process, the rotor is held in place by a grip-and-release mechanism that serves as both an alignment device and a thermal path. In this paper, we provide an overview of the SO SAT CHWP: its requirements, hardware design, and laboratory performance.

Intraoperative air embolism diagnosis and treatment using hyperbaric oxygen therapy after craniotomy: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: This report describes the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the acute management of an intraoperative air embolism encountered during a neurosurgical procedure. Furthermore, the authors highlight the concomitant diagnosis of tension pneumocephalus requiring evacuation prior to hyperbaric therapy. OBSERVATIONS: A 68-year-old male developed acute ST-segment elevation and hypotension during elective disconnection of a posterior fossa dural arteriovenous fistula. The semi-sitting position had been used to minimize cerebellar retraction, raising the concern for acute air embolism. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was utilized to establish the diagnosis of air embolism. The patient was stabilized on vasopressor therapy, and immediate postoperative computed tomography revealed air bubbles in the left atrium along with tension pneumocephalus. He underwent urgent evacuation for the tension pneumocephalus followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy to manage the hemodynamically significant air embolism. The patient was eventually extubated and went on to fully recover; a delayed angiogram revealed complete cure of the dural arteriovenous fistula. LESSONS: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered for an intracardiac air embolism resulting in hemodynamic instability. In the postoperative neurosurgical setting, care should be taken to exclude pneumocephalus requiring operative intervention prior to hyperbaric therapy. A multidisciplinary management approach facilitated expeditious diagnosis and management for the patient.

Pharmacists' Knowledge and Perceptions of Health Literacy.

Background: Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions. A review of literature revealed few studies that examined pharmacist's knowledge of health literacy. Methods: The Pharmacist Professional Health Literacy Survey was distributed to a convenience sampling of community pharmacists in medically underserved counties of Southwest Georgia. Results: Of 75 pharmacists contacted, 39 completed the survey and were used in the evaluation. Most respondents reported no health literacy training and had never assessed health literacy with a validated questionnaire. More than half of the participants cited lack of knowledge about low health literacy as a major barrier to implementing health literacy screening for their patients. Time and cost were identified as major barriers to participating in health literacy training programs. Conclusion: Most pharmacists from this area had little exposure to evaluating health literacy. Pharmacy education postgraduate programs and continuing education training programs around this topic will heighten health literacy knowledge for the pharmacy profession. There is a need for a quick, easy to use, and effective tool for pharmacists to recognize and assess health literacy in patients.

PDI inhibitor LTI6426 enhances panobinostat efficacy in preclinical models of multiple myeloma.

The histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), panobinostat (Pano), is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) for treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Despite regulatory approvals, Pano is used on a limited basis in MM due largely to an unfavorable toxicity profile. The MM treatment landscape continues to evolve, and for Pano to maintain a place in that paradigm it will be necessary to identify treatment regimens that optimize its effectiveness, particularly those that permit dose reductions to eliminate unwanted toxicity. Here, we propose such a regimen by combining Pano with LTI6426, a first-in-class orally bioavailable protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) inhibitor. We show that LTI6426 dramatically enhances the anti-MM activity of Pano in vitro and in vivo using a proteasome inhibitor resistant mouse model of MM and a low dose of Pano that exhibited no signs of toxicity. We go on to characterize a transcriptional program that is induced by the LTI6426/Pano combination, demonstrating a convergence of the two drugs on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway effectors ATF3 (Activating Transcription Factor 3), DDIT3/CHOP (DNA Damage Inducible Transcript 3, a.k.a. C/EBP Homologous Protein), and DNAJB1 (DnaJ homolog subfamily B member 1, a.k.a. HSP40). We conclude that LTI6426 may safely enhance low-dose Pano regimens and that ATF3, DDIT3/CHOP, and DNAJB1 are candidate pharmacodynamic biomarkers of response to this novel treatment regimen.

A cryogenic continuously rotating half-wave plate mechanism for the POLARBEAR-2b cosmic microwave background receiver.

We present the design and laboratory evaluation of a cryogenic continuously rotating half-wave plate (CHWP) for the POLARBEAR-2b (PB-2b) cosmic microwave background receiver, the second installment of the Simons Array. PB-2b will observe at 5200 m elevation in the Atacama Desert of Chile in two frequency bands centered at 90 GHz and 150 GHz. In order to suppress atmospheric 1/f noise and mitigate systematic effects that arise when differencing orthogonal detectors, PB-2b modulates linear sky polarization using a CHWP rotating at 2 Hz. The CHWP has a 440 mm clear aperture diameter and is cooled to ≈50 K in the PB-2b receiver cryostat. It consists of a low-friction superconducting magnetic bearing and a low-torque synchronous electromagnetic motor, which together dissipate <2 W. During cooldown, a grip-and-release mechanism centers the rotor to <0.5 mm, and during continuous rotation, an incremental optical encoder measures the rotor angle with a noise level of 0.1 µrad/Hz. We discuss the experimental requirements for the PB-2b CHWP, the designs of its various subsystems, and the results of its evaluation in the laboratory. The presented CHWP has been deployed to Chile and is expected to see first light on PB-2b in 2020 or 2021.

Three phylogenetic groups have driven the recent population expansion of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans var. grubii) is an environmentally acquired pathogen causing 181,000 HIV-associated deaths each year. We sequenced 699 isolates, primarily C. neoformans from HIV-infected patients, from 5 countries in Asia and Africa. The phylogeny of C. neoformans reveals a recent exponential population expansion, consistent with the increase in the number of susceptible hosts. In our study population, this expansion has been driven by three sub-clades of the C. neoformans VNIa lineage; VNIa-4, VNIa-5 and VNIa-93. These three sub-clades account for 91% of clinical isolates sequenced in our study. Combining the genome data with clinical information, we find that the VNIa-93 sub-clade, the most common sub-clade in Uganda and Malawi, was associated with better outcomes than VNIa-4 and VNIa-5, which predominate in Southeast Asia. This study lays the foundation for further work investigating the dominance of VNIa-4, VNIa-5 and VNIa-93 and the association between lineage and clinical phenotype.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the brown pansy butterfly, Junonia stygia (Aurivillius, 1894), (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).

The brown pansy, Junonia stygia (Aurivillius, 1894) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), is a widespread West African forest butterfly. Genome skimming by Illumina sequencing allowed assembly of a complete 15,233 bp circular mitogenome from J. stygia consisting of 79.5% AT nucleotides. Mitochondrial gene order and composition is identical to other butterfly mitogenomes. Junonia stygia COX1 features an atypical CGA start codon, while ATP6, COX1, COX2, ND4, and ND4L exhibit incomplete stop codons. Phylogenetic reconstruction supports a monophyletic Subfamily Nymphalinae, Tribe Junoniini, and genus Junonia. The phylogenetic tree places Junonia iphita and J. stygia as basal mitogenome lineages sister to the remaining Junonia sequences.

Low health literacy: Implications for managing cardiac patients in practice.

There are limited data on racial and ethnic disparities related to quality of life (QoL) and health literacy in adults with multiple cardiac conditions. This article evaluates the relationship between health literacy and QoL among patients with cardiac conditions in a multiethnic community in New York City.

Evaluating the Utility of mHealth ECG Heart Monitoring for the Detection and Management of Atrial Fibrillation in Clinical Practice.

BACKGROUND: Little attention has focused on the integration of mobile health (mHealth) technology with self-management approaches to improve the detection and management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the differences between mHealth and usual care over a 6-month follow-up period among patients with a known history of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: A pilot cohort from within the larger ongoing randomized trial, iPhone® Helping Evaluate Atrial fibrillation Rhythm through Technology (iHEART), was evaluated to determine differences in detection of AF and atrial flutter (AFL) recurrence rates (following treatment to restore normal rhythm) between patients undergoing daily smartphone ECG monitoring and age and gender matched control patients. SF-36v2TM QoL assessments were administered at baseline and 6 months to a subset of the patients undergoing daily ECG monitoring. Differences between groups were assessed by t-test, Fisher's exact test, and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Among the 23 patients with smartphone ECG monitors (16 males and 7 females, mean age 55 ± 10), 14 (61%) had detection of recurrent AF/AFL versus 30% of controls. During the follow-up period, patients given smartphone ECG monitors were more than twice as likely to have an episode of recurrent AF/AFL detected (hazard ratio: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.06 - 6.11; p = 0.04). Among the 13 patients with baseline and 6 month QoL assessments, significant improvements were observed in the physical functioning (p = 0.009), role physical (p = 0.007), vitality (p = 0.03), and mental health domains (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac mHealth self-monitoring is a feasible and effective mechanism for enhancing AF/AFL detection that improves quality of life.

Randomized, Split-Face/Décolleté Comparative Trial of Procedure Enhancement System for Fractional non-Ablative Laser Resurfacing Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: A topical proprietary procedural enhancement system (PES) containing a combination of active ingredients including a tripeptide and hexapeptide (TriHex Technology™, Alastin Procedure Enhancement Invasive System, ALASTIN Skincare™, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) has been used successfully to aid in healing and improve symptomatology following resurfacing procedures.

METHODS: PES (Gentle Cleanser, Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology™, Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer with TriHex Technology™, Soothe + Protect Recovery Balm, Broad Spectrum 30+ Sunscreen) was compared to a basic regimen (Aquaphor™, Cerave™ cleanser, Vanicream™, Alastin Broad Spectrum 30+ Sunscreen) in a split face/ décolleté trial following fractional non-ablative thulium-doped resurfacing treatment to the face or décolleté. The skin was pre-conditioned and treated during and after the procedure using the two regimens.

RESULTS: A blinded investigator rated the PES statistically superior to the basic regimen on healing post-laser treatment on day 4 based on lentigines, texture, and Global Skin Quality. Subjects also reported 'better looking and feeling' skin on the PES side.

CONCLUSION: PES appears to improve healing post-non ablative thulium-doped resurfacing treatment to the face/décolleté in comparison with standard of care.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):707-710.

A pilot randomized trial of adjuvanted influenza vaccine in adult allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

The annual influenza vaccine is recommended for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients although studies have shown suboptimal immunogenicity. Influenza vaccine containing an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant (MF59) may lead to greater immunogenicity in HSCT recipients. We randomized adult allogeneic HSCT patients to receive the 2015-2016 influenza vaccine with or without MF59 adjuvant. Preimmunization and 4-week post-immunization sera underwent strain-specific hemagglutination inhibition assay. We randomized 73 patients and 67 (35 adjuvanted; 32 non-adjuvanted) had paired samples available at follow-up. Median age was 54 years (range 22-74) and time from transplant was 380 days (range 85-8107). Concurrent graft-versus-host disease was seen in 42/73 (57.5%). Geometric mean titers increased significantly after vaccination in both groups. Seroconversion to at least one of three influenza antigens was present in 62.9% vs 53.1% in adjuvanted vs non-adjuvanted vaccine (P=0.42). Factors associated with lower seroconversion rates were use of calcineurin inhibitors (P<0.001) and shorter duration from transplantation (P=0.001). Seroconversion rates were greater in patients who got previous year influenza vaccination (82.6% vs 45.5%, P=0.03). Adjuvanted vaccine demonstrated similar immunogenicity to non-adjuvanted vaccine in the HSCT population and may be an option for some patients.

Prospective use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) detected a multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis.

Since April 2015, whole genome sequencing (WGS) has been the routine test for Salmonella identification, surveillance and outbreak investigation at the national reference laboratory in England and Wales. In May 2015, an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis cases was detected using WGS data and investigated. UK cases were interviewed to obtain a food history and links between suppliers were mapped to produce a food chain network for chicken eggs. The association between the food chain network and the phylogeny was explored using a network comparison approach. Food and environmental samples were taken from premises linked to cases and tested for Salmonella. Within the outbreak single nucleotide polymorphism defined cluster, 136 cases were identified in the UK and 18 in Spain. One isolate from a food containing chicken eggs was within the outbreak cluster. There was a significant association between the chicken egg food chain of UK cases and phylogeny of outbreak isolates. This is the first published Salmonella outbreak to be prospectively detected using WGS. This outbreak in the UK was linked with contemporaneous cases in Spain by WGS. We conclude that UK and Spanish cases were exposed to a common source of Salmonella-contaminated chicken eggs.

A single-center randomized, controlled trial investigating the efficacy of a mHealth ECG technology intervention to improve the detection of atrial fibrillation: the iHEART study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is a major public health problem and is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting an estimated 2.7 million Americans. The true prevalence of atrial fibrillation is likely underestimated because episodes are often sporadic; therefore, it is challenging to detect and record an occurrence in a "real world" setting. To date, mobile health tools that promote earlier detection and treatment of atrial fibrillation and improvement in self-management behaviors and knowledge have not been evaluated. This study will be the first to address the epidemic problem of atrial fibrillation with a novel approach utilizing advancements in mobile health electrocardiogram technology to empower patients to actively engage in their healthcare and to evaluate impact on quality of life and quality-adjusted life years. Furthermore, sending a daily electrocardiogram transmission, coupled with receiving educational and motivational text messages aimed at promoting self-management and a healthy lifestyle may improve the management of chronic cardiovascular conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, etc.). Therefore, we are currently conducting a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a mobile health intervention, iPhone® Helping Evaluate Atrial fibrillation Rhythm through Technology (iHEART) versus usual cardiac care. METHODS: The iHEART study is a single center, prospective, randomized controlled trial. A total of 300 participants with a recent history of atrial fibrillation will be enrolled. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive the iHEART intervention, receiving an iPhone® equipped with an AliveCor® Mobile ECG and accompanying Kardia application and behavioral altering motivational text messages or usual cardiac care for 6 months. DISCUSSION: This will be the first study to investigate the utility of a mobile health intervention in a "real world" setting. We will evaluate the ability of the iHEART intervention to improve the detection and treatment of recurrent atrial fibrillation and assess the intervention's impact on improving clinical outcomes, quality of life, quality-adjusted life-years and disease-specific knowledge. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02731326 ; Verified April 2016.

Association between use of proton pump inhibitors and non-typhoidal salmonellosis identified following investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Mikawasima in the UK, 2013.

In November 2013, national public health agencies in England and Scotland identified an increase in laboratory-confirmed Salmonella Mikawasima. The role of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) as a risk factor for salmonellosis is unclear; we therefore captured information on PPI usage as part of our outbreak investigation. We conducted a case-control study, comparing each case with two controls. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Thirty-nine of 61 eligible cases were included in the study. The median age of cases was 45 years; 56% were female. Of these, 33% were admitted to hospital and 31% reported taking PPIs. We identified an association between PPIs and non-typhoidal salmonellosis (aOR 8·8, 95% CI 2·0-38·3). There is increasing evidence supporting the existence of an association between salmonellosis and PPIs; however, biological studies are needed to understand the effect of PPIs in the pathogenesis of Salmonella. We recommend future outbreak studies investigate PPI usage to strengthen evidence on the relevance of PPIs in Salmonella infection. These findings should be used to support the development of guidelines for patients and prescribers on the risk of gastrointestinal infection and PPI usage.

Vital signs: fruit and vegetable intake among children - United States, 2003-2010.

BACKGROUND: Eating more fruits and vegetables adds underconsumed nutrients to diets, reduces the risks for leading causes of illness and death, and helps manage body weight. This report describes trends in the contributions of fruits and vegetables to the diets of children aged 2-18 years. METHODS: CDC analyzed 1 day of 24-hour dietary recalls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2003 to 2010 to estimate trends in children's fruit and vegetable intake in cup-equivalents per 1,000 calories (CEPC) and trends by sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income to poverty ratio, and obesity status. Total fruit includes whole fruit (all fruit excluding juice) and fruit juice (from 100% juice, foods, and other beverages). Total vegetables include those encouraged in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 (i.e., dark green, orange, and red vegetables and legumes), white potatoes, and all other vegetables. RESULTS: Total fruit intake among children increased from 0.55 CEPC in 2003-2004 to 0.62 in 2009-2010 because of significant increases in whole fruit intake (0.24 to 0.40 CEPC). Over this period, fruit juice intake significantly decreased (0.31 to 0.22 CEPC). Total vegetable intake did not change (0.54 to 0.53 CEPC). No socio-demographic group met the Healthy People 2020 target of 1.1 CEPC vegetables, and only children aged 2-5 years met the target of 0.9 CEPC fruits. CONCLUSIONS: Children's total fruit intake increased because of increases in whole fruit consumption, but total vegetable intake remained unchanged. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE: Increased attention to the policies and food environments in multiple settings, including schools, early care and education, and homes might help continue the progress in fruit intake and improve vegetable intake.

Overview of the impact of epidemic-assistance investigations of foodborne and other enteric disease outbreaks, 1946-2005.

Epidemic-assistance investigations (Epi-Aids) in response to outbreaks of foodborne and other enteric pathogens have identified novel pathogens, clinical syndromes, and sequelae; described new reservoirs and vehicles of transmission; evaluated existing prevention strategies; and identified deficiencies in the food safety systems on local, national, and international levels. Since the first Epi-Aid was issued in 1946, approximately 23% (1,023 of 4,484 for which investigations were initiated) of all Epi-Aids have been related to foodborne or other enteric diseases. Epi-Aid results have yielded valuable insights into the epidemiology of these pathogens and have molded prevention strategies for detecting, responding to, and preventing future outbreaks. New challenges, brought about in part by centralization and globalization of the food supply, will continue to emerge. The need for Epi-Aids of such outbreaks undoubtedly will persist as an integral part of future public health response efforts, prevention strategies, and training programs.

Assessment of the effect of nanomaterials on sediment-dwelling invertebrate Chironomus tentans larvae.

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of a panel of seven nanomaterials (NMs), namely: α-alumina, γ-alumina, precipitated silica; silica fume, calcined silica fume, colloidal antimony pentoxide (Sb(2)O(5)), and superfine amorphous ferric oxide (Fe(2)O(3)), on sediment dwelling invertebrates Chironomus tentans under controlled laboratory conditions. Percentage survival, enzyme activities, growth development, and DNA fragmentation parameters were studied as acute, biochemical, and physiological toxicities of NMs, respectively. Quantitation of catalase and peroxidase enzyme activity demonstrated that toxicant stress of the NMs increased enzyme activity in a concentration dependent fashion across all treatments. The percentage growth length of the test specimens exposed to different NMs was significantly reduced compared to the negative control while only five concentrations were not in the toxic range, namely; Fe(2)O(3) (5 µg/kg); silica fume (5 µg/kg, 50 µg/kg); Sb(2)O(5) (5 µg/kg) and calcined silica fume (5 µg/kg). Genotoxic stress assessed by use of DNA laddering showed complementary findings to the other ecotoxicological endpoints tested in this study--the percentage survival and growth length inhibition.

Genomic insight into the amino acid relations of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, with its symbiotic bacterium Buchnera aphidicola.

The pea aphid genome includes 66 genes contributing to amino acid biosynthesis and 93 genes to amino acid degradation. In several respects, the pea aphid gene inventory complements that of its symbiotic bacterium, Buchnera aphidicola (Buchnera APS). Unlike other insects with completely sequenced genomes, the pea aphid lacks the capacity to synthesize arginine, which is produced by Buchnera APS. However, consistent with other insects, it has genes coding for individual reactions in essential amino acid biosynthesis, including threonine dehydratase and branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase, which are not coded in the Buchnera APS genome. Overall the genome data suggest that the biosynthesis of certain essential amino acids is shared between the pea aphid and Buchnera APS, providing the opportunity for precise aphid control over Buchnera metabolism.

Responses of phytoplankton upon exposure to a mixture of acid mine drainage and high levels of nutrient pollution in Lake Loskop, South Africa.

The relationships between water quality and the phytoplankton community within Lake Loskop were studied during the late summer and autumn of 2008 to evaluate the impacts of acid mine drainage and high nutrient concentrations. The higher concentrations of metal ions and sulphate had adverse effects on certain phytoplankton species in the inflowing riverine zone of Lake Loskop, in comparison to the reference site in the lacustrine zone of the lake, which was dominated by the larger and slower growing late summer species of Coelastrum reticulum Nägeli, Straurastrum anatinum Meyen ex Ralfs and Ceratium hirundinella Müller. The high nutrient concentrations (nitrogen: 17 mg l(-1) and orthophosphate: 0.7 mg l(-1)) during the mid-summer peak of the rainy season were associated with the development of a bloom of the cyanobacterium Microcystis. Water quality data associated with the development of the Microcystis bloom suggest that the aquatic system of Lake Loskop has now entered an alternate, hypertrophic regime. This change overshadowed the adverse effects of high concentrations of heavy metal ions and low pH. Throughout this study, the reference site in the lacustrine zone of Lake Loskop had lower concentrations of metal ions and sulphate, and higher pH values. The response of phytoplankton bioassays on integrated water samples from the different sampling sites did provide potential answers to the reasons for the absence of the algal group Chlorophyceae in the phytoplankton community structure in the riverine zone of the lake.

The geography of diversification in mutualistic ants: a gene's-eye view into the Neogene history of Sundaland rain forests.

We investigate the geographical and historical context of diversification in a complex of mutualistic Crematogaster ants living in Macaranga trees in the equatorial rain forests of Southeast Asia. Using mitochondrial DNA from 433 ant colonies collected from 32 locations spanning Borneo, Malaya and Sumatra, we infer branching relationships, patterns of genetic diversity and population history. We reconstruct a time frame for the ants' diversification and demographic expansions, and identify areas that might have been refugia or centres of diversification. Seventeen operational lineages are identified, most of which can be distinguished by host preference and geographical range. The ants first diversified 16-20 Ma, not long after the onset of the everwet forests in Sundaland, and achieved most of their taxonomic diversity during the Pliocene. Pleistocene demographic expansions are inferred for several of the younger lineages. Phylogenetic relationships suggest a Bornean cradle and major axis of diversification. Taxonomic diversity tends to be associated with mountain ranges; in Borneo, it is greatest in the Crocker Range of Sabah and concentrated also in other parts of the northern northwest coast. Within-lineage genetic diversity in Malaya and Sumatra tends to also coincide with mountain ranges. A series of disjunct and restricted distributions spanning northern northwest Borneo and the major mountain ranges of Malaya and Sumatra, seen in three pairs of sister lineages, further suggests that these regions were rain-forest refuges during drier climatic phases of the Pleistocene. Results are discussed in the context of the history of Sundaland's rain forests.