Efficiency of Varying Sediment Traps under Experimental Conditions Simulating Tidal Inundations

Accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) is threatening tidal marshes worldwide. An important control of tidal marsh survival under accelerated SLR is sediment deposition. Therefore, factors affecting sediment deposition rates (SDRs) have been studied extensively using various types of sediment traps. The efficiency of various sediment traps has been compared in several studies, but most of these were conducted in shallow lakes or rivers. In contrast, the efficiency of different sediment traps in tidal marshes is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the trapping efficiency of four frequently used sediment traps, namely flat traps constructed of either tiles or floor mat and circular traps with and without a lid, under controlled experimental conditions simulating tidal inundations in a flume. The strong differences between circular sediment traps (high efficiency) and both flat-surface sediment trap methods (low efficiency) found in this study were remarkable. Additionally, further evidence was found for decreases in SDRs with increasing distance to the inflow of the flume (sediment source) and with decreasing suspended sediment concentration. These findings indicate that trap design has a large influence on sedimentation rate and that studies using different types of sediment traps are not directly comparable

Analysis of natural killer cell functions in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal-recessive disorder of the iron metabolism. Patients are typically affected by dysregulated iron levels, which can lead to iron accumulation within essential organs, such as liver, heart and pancreas. Furthermore, many HH patients are also afflicted by several immune defects and increased occurrence of autoimmune diseases that are linked to human homeostatic iron regulator protein (HFE) in the immune response. Here we examined immune cell phenotype and function in 21 HH patients compared to 21 healthy controls with a focus on Natural Killer (NK) cells. We observed increased basal and stimulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β or IL-18 in HH patients compared to healthy controls. However, we did not find major changes in the phenotype, the amount or the cytotoxic function of NK cells in HH patients. Instead, our data show a general decrease in the total number of granulocytes in HH patients (2774 ± 958 per μl versus 3457 ± 1122 per μl in healthy controls). These data demonstrate that NK cells of HH patients are not significantly affected and that the patients’ treatment by regular phlebotomy is sufficient to avoid systemic iron overload and its consequences to the immune system

The importance of the general practitioner as an information source for patients with hereditary haemochromatosis

Objective To explore hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) patients’ perspectives on genetic information, namely the types of sources used, preferred or trusted. Methods A survey online was conducted by the European Federation of Associations of Patients with Haemochromatosis (EFAPH) and applied to members of nine National Associations. Results From a total of 1019 validated questionnaires, 895 respondents had performed a genetic testing for HH. From these, 627 self-declared that they were sufficiently informed about the implications of the genetic test to their health. The majority (66%) obtained the information from a specialist doctor, but would like to obtain it from the family doctor. However, the specialist was still the one they trusted more (69%). Regarding the 298 respondents who did not feel sufficiently informed, the majority (78%) also would like to have information from the family doctor although they also trusted the specialist more (75%). A different perspective was reported when patients were asked about the implications of the genetic testing to their family members, where the majority of respondents preferred obtaining information from a specialist (69%). Conclusion This study elucidates the patients’ needs for information and identifies the general practitioner (GP) as the preferred source to obtain information about HH. Practice implications These results may have important implications in future strategies for HH awareness, giving a special emphasis on GPs as the main players

Therapeutic recommendations in HFE hemochromatosis for p.Cys282Tyr (C282Y/C282Y) homozygous genotype

Although guidelines are available for hereditary hemochromatosis, a high percentage of the recommendations within them are not shared between the different guidelines. Our main aim is to provide an objective, simple, brief, and practical set of recommendations about therapeutic aspects of HFE hemochromatosis for p.Cys282Tyr (C282Y/C282Y) homozygous genotype, based on the published scientific studies and guidelines, in a form that is reasonably comprehensible to patients and people without medical training. This final version was approved at the Hemochromatosis International meeting on 12th May 2017 in Los Angeles

The European Hematology Association Roadmap for European Hematology Research: a consensus document

The European Hematology Association (EHA) Roadmap for European Hematology Research highlights major achievements in diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders and identifies the greatest unmet clinical and scientific needs in those areas to enable better funded, more focused European hematology research. Initiated by the EHA, around 300 experts contributed to the consensus document, which will help European policy makers, research funders, research organizations, researchers, and patient groups make better informed decisions on hematology research. It also aims to raise public awareness of the burden of blood disorders on European society, which purely in economic terms is estimated at €23 billion per year, a level of cost that is not matched in current European hematology research funding. In recent decades, hematology research has improved our fundamental understanding of the biology of blood disorders, and has improved diagnostics and treatments, sometimes in revolutionary ways. This progress highlights the potential of focused basic research programs such as this EHA Roadmap. The EHA Roadmap identifies nine ‘sections’ in hematology: normal hematopoiesis, malignant lymphoid and myeloid diseases, anemias and related diseases, platelet disorders, blood coagulation and hemostatic disorders, transfusion medicine, infections in hematology, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These sections span 60 smaller groups of diseases or disorders. The EHA Roadmap identifies priorities and needs across the field of hematology, including those to develop targeted therapies based on genomic profiling and chemical biology, to eradicate minimal residual malignant disease, and to develop cellular immunotherapies, combination treatments, gene therapies, hematopoietic stem cell treatments, and treatments that are better tolerated by elderly patients