Here, we describe the Compact Array Broad‐band Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16‐fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2 × 128 to 2 × 2048 MHz, high‐bit sampling and the addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity; (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges; (3) simultaneous multi‐line and continuum observations; (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high‐bit sampling and (5) high‐velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential. Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on‐the‐fly mapping, fast follow‐up of radio transients (e.g. the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observation at high‐velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide‐band spectra, high dynamic‐range images and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.

The development of the human infant intestinal microbiota is a sequential process that begins in utero and continues during the first 2 to 3 years of life. Microbial composition and diversity are shaped by host genetics and multiple environmental factors, of which diet is a principal contributor. An understanding of this process is of clinical importance as the microbiota acquired in early life influence gastrointestinal, immune and neural development, and reduced microbial diversity or dysbiosis during infancy is associated with disorders in infancy and later childhood. The goal of this article was to review the published literature that used culture-independent methods to describe the development of the gastrointestinal microbiota in breast-and formula-fed human infants as well as the impact of prebiotic and probiotic addition to infant formula, and the addition of solid foods.

This paper describes the system architecture of a newly constructed radio telescope -the Boolardy engineering test array, which is a prototype of the Australian square kilometre array pathfinder telescope. Phased array feed technology is used to form multiple simultaneous beams per antenna, providing astronomers with unprecedented survey speed. The test array described here is a six-antenna interferometer, fitted with prototype signal processing hardware capable of forming at least nine dual-polarisation beams simultaneously, allowing several square degrees to be imaged in a single pointed observation. The main purpose of the test array is to develop beamforming and wide-field calibration methods for use with the full telescope, but it will also be capable of limited early science demonstrations.

Diet is a key regulator of microbiome structure and function across the lifespan. Microbial colonization in the first year of life has been actively researched; however, studies during childhood are sparse. Herein, the impact of dietary intake and pre-and probiotic interventions on microbiome composition of healthy infants and children from birth to adolescence is discussed. The microbiome of breastfed infants has lower microbial diversity and richness, higher Proteobacteria, and lower Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes than those formula-fed. As children consume more complex diets, associations between dietary patterns and the microbiota emerge. Like adults, the microbiota of children consuming a Western-style diet is associated with greater Bacteroidaceae and Ruminococcaceae and lower Prevotellaceae. Dietary fibers and pre-or/and probiotics have been tested to modulate the gut microbiota in early life. Human milk oligosaccharides and prebiotics added to infant formula are bifidogenic and decrease pathogens. In children, prebiotics, such as inulin, increase Bifidobacterium abundance and dietary fibers reduce fecal pH and increase alpha diversity and calcium absorption. Probiotics have been administered to the mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding or directly to the infant/ child. Findings on maternal probiotic administration on bacterial taxa are inconsistent. When given directly to the infant/child, some changes in individual taxa are observed, but rarely is overall alpha or beta diversity affected. Cesarean-delivered infants appear to benefit to a greater degree than those born vaginally. Infancy and childhood represent an opportunity to beneficially manipulate the microbiome through dietary or prebiotic interventions, which has the potential to affect both short-and long-term health outcomes.

Within the last decade, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as an important vertebrate model in developmental biology and medicine for problems typically associated with humans. However, where behavioral assays are needed, the utility of the zebrafish model has been limited by the narrow range of procedures so far developed to investigate zebrafish learning. The purpose of this study was to further develop and test procedures to study appetitive choice discrimination learning in zebrafish. Zebrafish were conditioned to swim into one of three chambers for food reinforcement. The correct (S+) chamber on a trial was signaled by the presence of a light stimulus in the chamber; the two negative (S-) chambers were dark. Each of the 15 fish tested learned the discrimination to a criterion of 80% correct in both of two consecutive sessions. Tests for stimulus control showed that discriminative behavior was indeed under the control of the S+ discriminandum. These results were discussed in relation to the recent report of zebrafish discrimination learning in a two-alternative task, and the importance of examining individual zebrafish learning curves.