Increased platelet reactivity is associated with circulating platelet-monocyte complexes and macrophages in human atherosclerotic plaques

Objective: Platelet reactivity, platelet binding to monocytes and monocyte infiltration play a detrimental role in atherosclerotic plaque progression. We investigated whether platelet reactivity was associated with levels of circulating platelet-monocyte complexes (PMCs) and macrophages in human atherosclerotic carotid plaques. Methods: Platelet reactivity was determined by measuring platelet P-selectin expression after platelet stimulation with increasing concentrations of adenosine diphosphate (ADP), in two independent cohorts: the Circulating Cells cohort (n = 244) and the Athero-Express cohort (n = 91). Levels of PMCs were assessed by flow cytometry in blood samples of patients who were scheduled for percutaneous coronary intervention (Circulating Cells cohort). Monocyte infiltration was semi-quantitatively determined by histological examination of atherosclerotic carotid plaques collected during carotid endarterectomy (Athero-Express cohort). Results: We found increased platelet reactivity in patients with high PMCs as compared to patients with low PMCs (median (interquartile range): 4153 (1585-11267) area under the curve (AUC) vs. 9633 (3580-21565) AUC, P<0.001). Also, we observed increased pl

Brucella pinnipedialis in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Netherlands

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with terrestrial or marine wildlife animals as potential reservoirs for the disease in livestock and human populations. The primary aim of this study was to assess the presence of Brucella pinnipedialis in marine mammals living along the Dutch coast and to observe a possible correlation between the presence of B. pinnipedialis and accompanying pathology found in infected animals. The overall prevalence of Brucella spp. antibodies in sera from healthy wild grey seals (Halichoerus grypus; n=11) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina; n=40), collected between 2007 and 2013 ranged from 25% to 43%. Additionally, tissue samples of harbor seals collected along the Dutch shores between 2009 and 2012, were tested for the presence of Brucella spp. In total, 77% (30/ 39) seals were found to be positive for Brucella by IS711 real-time PCR in one or more tissue samples, including pulmonary nematodes. Viable Brucella was cultured from 40% (12/30) real-time PCR-positive seals, and was isolated from liver, lung, pulmonary lymph node, pulmonary nematode, or spleen, but not from any PCR-negative seals. Tissue samples from lung and pulmonary lymph nodes were the main source of viable Brucella bacteria. All isolates were typed as B. pinnipedialis by multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis-16 clustering and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, and of sequence type ST25 by multilocus sequence typing analysis. No correlation was observed between Brucella infection and pathology. This report displays the isolation and identification of B. pinnipedialis in marine mammals in the Dutch part of the Atlantic Ocean.</p

Morphological and structural analysis in the Anaga offshore massif, Canary Islands: fractures and debris avalanches relationships

As part of the ‘National Hydrographic and Oceanographic Research Plan for the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone’, multibeam bathymetry and seismic reflection profiles were obtained in the Canary Islands aboard the R/V Hespérides. The submarine flanks of the Anaga offshore extension of Tenerife Island are here studied to analyze its geomorphology. In the north sector of the Anaga submarine massif, the extension of the Anaga Debris Avalanche has been mapped for the first time, and a volume of 36 km3 was calculated. The relationship between the Anaga and Orotava Debris Avalanches is also described. Faulting has been recognized as a key process for the occurrence of debris avalanches and the growth of volcanic lineaments. Moreover, faulting affects previous structures and the channelling of debris flows. Structural analysis shows the typical radial pattern of an oceanic island. In addition, a NE-SW dominant direction of faulting was obtained, consistent with the Tenerife Island structural trend seen in the Anaga Massif and Cordillera Dorsal. NW-SE and E-W are two other main trends seen in the area. Special interest is manifest in two long faults: ‘Santa Cruz Fault’ bounds the southern edge of Anaga offshore Massif with a length of 50 km and a direction that changes from NE-SW to almost E-W. The Güimar Debris Avalanche was probably channeled by this fault. The ‘Guayotá Fault’ was recognized in several seismic profiles with a N-S direction that changes towards NW-SE at its southern end. This fault affects the more recent sediments with a vertical offset of 25–30 m, along 60 km. It has been interpreted as a transpressive strike-slip fault

The zebrafish reference genome sequence and its relationship to the human genome

Zebrafish have become a popular organism for the study of vertebrate gene function. The virtually transparent embryos of this species, and the ability to accelerate genetic studies by gene knockdown or overexpression, have led to the widespread use of zebrafish in the detailed investigation of vertebrate gene function and increasingly, the study of human genetic disease. However, for effective modelling of human genetic disease it is important to understand the extent to which zebrafish genes and gene structures are related to orthologous human genes. To examine this, we generated a high-quality sequence assembly of the zebrafish genome, made up of an overlapping set of completely sequenced large-insert clones that were ordered and oriented using a high-resolution high-density meiotic map. Detailed automatic and manual annotation provides evidence of more than 26,000 protein-coding genes, the largest gene set of any vertebrate so far sequenced. Comparison to the human reference genome shows that approximately 70% of human genes have at least one obvious zebrafish orthologue. In addition, the high quality of this genome assembly provides a clearer understanding of key genomic features such as a unique repeat content, a scarcity of pseudogenes, an enrichment of zebrafish-specific genes on chromosome 4 and chromosomal regions that influence sex determination