Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

Erratum to: Fungal diversity notes 111–252—taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

International audienc

Fungal diversity notes 111–252—taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

International audienceThis paper is a compilation of notes on 142 fungal taxa, including five new families, 20 new genera, and 100 new species, representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range. The new families, Ascocylindricaceae, Caryosporaceae and Wicklowiaceae (Ascomycota) are introduced based on their distinct lineages and unique morphology. The new Dothideomycete genera Pseudomassariosphaeria (Amniculicolaceae), Heracleicola, Neodidymella and Pseudomicrosphaeriopsis (Didymellaceae), Pseudopithomyces (Didymosphaeriaceae), Brunneoclavispora, Neolophiostoma and Sulcosporium (Halotthiaceae), Lophiohelichrysum (Lophiostomataceae), Galliicola, Populocrescentia and Vagicola (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Ascocylindrica (Ascocylindricaceae), Elongatopedicellata (Roussoellaceae), Pseudoasteromassaria (Latoruaceae) and Pseudomonodictys (Macrodiplodiopsidaceae) are introduced. The newly described species of Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota) are Pseudomassariosphaeria bromicola (Amniculicolaceae), Flammeascoma lignicola (Anteagloniaceae), Ascocylindrica marina (Ascocylindricaceae), Lembosia xyliae (Asterinaceae), Diplodia crataegicola and Diplodia galiicola (Botryosphaeriaceae), Caryospora aquatica (Caryosporaceae), Heracleicola premilcurensis and Neodidymella thailandicum (Didymellaceae), Pseudopithomyces palmicola (Didymosphaeriaceae), Floricola viticola (Floricolaceae), Brunneoclavispora bambusae, Neolophiostoma pigmentatum and Sulcosporium thailandica (Halotthiaceae), Pseudoasteromassaria fagi (Latoruaceae), Keissleriella dactylidicola (Lentitheciaceae), Lophiohelichrysum helichrysi (Lophiostomataceae), Aquasubmersa japonica (Lophiotremataceae), Pseudomonodictys tectonae (Macrodiplodiopsidaceae), Microthyrium buxicola and Tumidispora shoreae (Microthyriaceae), Alloleptosphaeria clematidis, Allophaeosphaeria cytisi, Allophaeosphaeria subcylindrospora, Dematiopleospora luzulae, Entodesmium artemisiae, Galiicola pseudophaeosphaeria, Loratospora luzulae, Nodulosphaeria senecionis, Ophiosphaerella aquaticus, Populocrescentia forlicesenensis and Vagicola vagans (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Elongatopedicellata lignicola, Roussoella magnatum and Roussoella angustior (Roussoellaceae) and Shrungabeeja longiappendiculata (Tetraploasphaeriaceae). The new combinations Pseudomassariosphaeria grandispora, Austropleospora archidendri, Pseudopithomyces chartarum, Pseudopithomyces maydicus, Pseudopithomyces sacchari, Vagicola vagans, Punctulariopsis cremeoalbida and Punctulariopsis efibulata Dothideomycetes. The new genera Dictyosporella (Annulatascaceae), and Tinhaudeus (Halosphaeriaceae) are introduced in Sordariomycetes (Ascomycota) while Dictyosporella aquatica (Annulatascaceae), Chaetosphaeria rivularia (Chaetosphaeriaceae), Beauveria gryllotalpidicola and Beauveria loeiensis (Cordycipitaceae), Seimatosporium sorbi and Seimatosporium pseudorosarum (Discosiaceae), Colletotrichum aciculare, Colletotrichum fusiforme and Colletotrichum hymenocallidicola (Glomerellaceae), Tinhaudeus formosanus (Halosphaeriaceae), Pestalotiopsis subshorea and Pestalotiopsis dracaenea (Pestalotiopsiceae), Phaeoacremonium tectonae (Togniniaceae), Cytospora parasitica and Cytospora tanaitica (Valsaceae), Annulohypoxylon palmicola, Biscogniauxia effusae and Nemania fusoideis (Xylariaceae) are introduced as novel species to order Sordariomycetes. The newly described species of Eurotiomycetes are Mycocalicium hyaloparvicellulum (Mycocaliciaceae). Acarospora septentrionalis and Acarospora castaneocarpa (Acarosporaceae), Chapsa multicarpa and Fissurina carassensis (Graphidaceae), Sticta fuscotomentosa and Sticta subfilicinella (Lobariaceae) are newly introduced in class Lecanoromycetes. In class Pezizomycetes, Helvella pseudolacunosa and Helvella rugosa (Helvellaceae) are introduced as new species. The new families, Dendrominiaceae and Neoantrodiellaceae (Basidiomycota) are introduced together with a new genus Neoantrodiella (Neoantrodiellaceae), here based on both morphology coupled with molecular data. In the class Agaricomycetes, Agaricus pseudolangei, Agaricus haematinus, Agaricus atrodiscus and Agaricus exilissimus (Agaricaceae), Amanita melleialba, Amanita pseudosychnopyramis and Amanita subparvipantherina (Amanitaceae), Entoloma calabrum, Cora barbulata, Dictyonema gomezianum and Inocybe granulosa (Inocybaceae), Xerocomellus sarnarii (Boletaceae), Cantharellus eucalyptorum, Cantharellus nigrescens, Cantharellus tricolor and Cantharellus variabilicolor (Cantharellaceae), Cortinarius alboamarescens, Cortinarius brunneoalbus, Cortinarius ochroamarus, Cortinarius putorius and Cortinarius seidlii (Cortinariaceae), Hymenochaete micropora and Hymenochaete subporioides (Hymenochaetaceae), Xylodon ramicida (Schizoporaceae), Colospora andalasii (Polyporaceae), Russula guangxiensis and Russula hakkae (Russulaceae), Tremella dirinariae, Tremella graphidis and Tremella pyrenulae (Tremellaceae) are introduced. Four new combinations Neoantrodiella gypsea, Neoantrodiella thujae (Neoantrodiellaceae), Punctulariopsis cremeoalbida, Punctulariopsis efibulata (Punctulariaceae) are also introduced here for the division Basidiomycota. Furthermore Absidia caatinguensis, Absidia koreana and Gongronella koreana (Cunninghamellaceae), Mortierella pisiformis and Mortierella formosana (Mortierellaceae) are newly introduced in the Zygomycota, while Neocallimastix cameroonii and Piromyces irregularis (Neocallimastigaceae) are introduced in the Neocallimastigomycota. Reference specimens or changes in classification and notes are provided for Alternaria ethzedia, Cucurbitaria ephedricola, Austropleospora, Austropleospora archidendri, Byssosphaeria rhodomphala, Lophiostoma caulium, Pseudopithomyces maydicus, Massariosphaeria, Neomassariosphaeria and Pestalotiopsis montellica

Critical care admission following elective surgery was not associated with survival benefit: prospective analysis of data from 27 countries

This was an investigator initiated study funded by Nestle Health Sciences through an unrestricted research grant, and by a National Institute for Health Research (UK) Professorship held by RP. The study was sponsored by Queen Mary University of London