MN-ANDALUSITE, SPESSARTINE, MN-GROSSULAR, PIEMONTITE AND MN-ZOISITE/CLINOZOISITE FROM TRIKORFO, THASSOS ISLAND, GREECE

Μυλωνιτιωμένοι πλούσιοι σε μαγγάνιο σχιστόλιθοι και ασβεστοπυριτικά στρώματα που απαντούν ως ενδιαστρώσεις εντός αμφιβολιτικής έως πρασινοσχιστολιθικής φάσης μεταμόρφωσης μαρμαρυγιακούς σχιστόλιθους στο Τρίκορφο της Θάσου, 2069 χαρακτηρίζονται από μία ασυνήθιστη Mn-ούχο παραγένεση μεταμορφικών ορυκτών τα περισσότερα από τα οποία σε ιδιαίτερα μεγάλους κρυστάλλους και σε ποικιλία πολύτιμων λίθων. Τα Mn-ούχα πυριτικά ορυκτά απαντούν τόσο σε στρώσεις παράλληλα με την φύλλωση όσο και σε φλέβες που τέμνουν τη μεταμορφική δομή. Τα ορυκτά πιεμοντίτης (έως 12.7 % κ.β. Mn2O3), Mn-ούχο επίδοτο (έως 7.8 % κ.β. Mn2O3), Mn-ούχος ανδαλουσίτης (έως 15.6 % κ.β. Mn2O3), φτωχός σε Mn ροζ κλινοζοϊσίτης/επίδοτο (έως 0.87 % κ.β. Mn2O3), φτωχός σε Mn ροζ έως κόκκινος ζοϊσίτης (έως 0.21 % κ.β. Mn2O3), σπεσσαρτίνης (έως 47.7 % κ.β. MnO) και Mn-ούχος γροσσουλάριος (έως 3.6 % κ.β. MnO), συνοδεύονται από διοψίδιο, κεροστίλβη, φλογοπίτη, μοσχοβίτη, τουρμαλίνη, αιματίτη και σιδηρούχο κυανίτη. Η παραγένεση που μελετήθηκε είναι ενδεικτική υψηλών τιμών πτητικότητας του οξυγόνου λόγω της παρουσίας προϋπάρχουσας έντονα οξειδωτικής προ-μεταμορφικής ορυκτολογικής παραγένεσης πλούσιας σε μαγγάνιο. Σχηματίσθηκε κατά την πρόδρομη μεταμόρφωση ιζηματογενών πρωτόλιθων πλούσιων σε Mn, με ακόλουθη επανισσορόπηση απο τις μέγιστες συνθήκες πίεσης και θερμοκρασίας, σχηματισμό φλεβών και μετασωμάτωσης κατά την ανάδρομη μεταμόρφωση που συνόδευσε την ανάδυση της Θάσου στο Ολιγόκαινο-Μειόκαινο. Εναλλακτικά, η προσφορά ρευστών από γρανιτοειδή κατά την διάρκεια μεταμόρφωσης επαφής δεν πρέπει να αποκλειστεί. Η περιοχή μελέτης αντιπροσωπεύει μοναδικό ορυκτολογικό Γεώτοπο. Η γεωλογική-ορυκτολογική αυτή κληρονομιά μπορεί να προστατευθεί μέσω της ίδρυσης ενός Γεωπάρκου που θα συμβάλλει επιπλέον και στην προώθηση φιλικής προς το περιβάλλον ανάπτυξης της Θάσου.Mylonitized manganiferous schists and calc-silicate layers intercalated within amphibolite- to greenschist facies mica schists from the Trikorfo area (Thassos Island, Greece), host an unusual Mn-rich paragenesis of metamorphic silicate minerals, most of them in large, gemmy crystals. The silicates occur both in layers subparallel to the foliation and within discordant veins cross-cutting the metamorphic fabric. Piemontite (up to 12.7 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-rich epidote (up to 7.8 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-rich andalusite (up to 15.6 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-poor pink clinozoisite-epidote (up to 0.87 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-poor pink zoisite (up to 0.21 wt. % Mn2O3), spessartine (up to 47.7 wt. % MnO) and Mn-rich grossular (up to 3.6 wt. % MnO) are associated with diopside, hornblende, phlogopite, muscovite, tourmaline, hematite and iron-bearing kyanite. The studied assemblages are indicative of high fO2 conditions due to the presence of highly oxidized pre-metamorphic Mn-rich mineral associations. They developed during prograde metamorphism of a Mn-rich sedimentary protolith(s), followed by re equilibration to post-peak metamorphic conditions, vein formation and metasomatism during retrograde metamorphism accompanying the exhumation of the Thassos Island during the Oligocene-Miocene. Alternatively, the skarn similar mineralogy of the calc-silicate layers could have been formed by fluids released by granitoids during contact metamorphism. The studied area represents a unique mineralogical geotope. Its geological-mineralogical heritage should be protected through establishment of a mineralogical-petrological geopark that will also promote sustainable development of the area

DoctorEye: A clinically driven multifunctional platform, for accurate processing of tumors in medical images

Copyright @ Skounakis et al.This paper presents a novel, open access interactive platform for 3D medical image analysis, simulation and visualization, focusing in oncology images. The platform was developed through constant interaction and feedback from expert clinicians integrating a thorough analysis of their requirements while having an ultimate goal of assisting in accurately delineating tumors. It allows clinicians not only to work with a large number of 3D tomographic datasets but also to efficiently annotate multiple regions of interest in the same session. Manual and semi-automatic segmentation techniques combined with integrated correction tools assist in the quick and refined delineation of tumors while different users can add different components related to oncology such as tumor growth and simulation algorithms for improving therapy planning. The platform has been tested by different users and over large number of heterogeneous tomographic datasets to ensure stability, usability, extensibility and robustness with promising results. AVAILABILITY: THE PLATFORM, A MANUAL AND TUTORIAL VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE AT: http://biomodeling.ics.forth.gr. It is free to use under the GNU General Public License

Risk of 16 cancers across the full glycemic spectrum: a population-based cohort study using the UK Biobank

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is observed to increase cancer risk, leading to hypothesized direct effects of either hyperglycemia or medication. We investigated associations between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) across the whole glycemic spectrum and incidence of 16 cancers in a population sample with comprehensive adjustment for risk factors and medication. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Linked data from the UK Biobank and UK cancer registry for all individuals with baseline HbA1c and no history of cancer at enrollment were used. Incident cancer was based on International Classification of Diseases - 10th Edition diagnostic codes. Age-standardized incidence rates were estimated by HbA1c category. Associations between HbA1c, modeled as a restricted cubic spline, and cancer risk were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Among 378 253 individuals with average follow-up of 7.1 years, 21 172 incident cancers occurred. While incidence for many of the 16 cancers was associated with hyperglycemia in crude analyses, these associations disappeared after multivariable adjustment, except for pancreatic cancer (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.98 for 55 vs 35 mmol/mol), and a novel finding of an inverse association between HbA1c and premenopausal breast cancer (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.60 for 25 vs 35 mmol/mol; HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.94 for 45 vs 35 mmol/mol), not observed for postmenopausal breast cancer. Adjustment for diabetes medications had no appreciable impact on HRs for cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from pancreatic cancer, we did not demonstrate any independent positive association between HbA1c and cancer risk. These findings suggest that the potential for a cancer-inducing, direct effect of hyperglycemia may be misplaced

The Relationship Between Glycaemia, Cognitive Function, Structural Brain Outcomes and Dementia: A Mendelian Randomisation Study in the UK Biobank

We investigated the relationship between glycaemia and cognitive function, brain structure and incident dementia using bidirectional Mendelian randomisation (MR). Data were from UK Biobank (n∼500,000). Our exposures were genetic instruments for type-2 diabetes (157 variants) and HbA1c (51 variants) and our outcomes were reaction time (RT), visual memory, hippocampal and white matter hyperintensity volumes, Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). We also investigated associations between genetic variants for RT (43 variants) and, diabetes and HbA1c. We used conventional inverse-variance weighted (IVW) MR, alongside MR sensitivity analyses. Using IVW, genetic liability to type-2 diabetes was not associated with reaction time (exponentiated ß=1.00, 95%CI=1.00; 1.00), visual memory (expß=1.00, 95%CI=0.99; 1.00), white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) (expß=0.99, 95%CI=0.97; 1.01), hippocampal volume (HV) (ß coefficient mm3=4.56, 95%CI=-3.98; 13.09) or AD (OR 0.89, 95%CI=0.78; 1.01). HbA1c was not associated with RT (expß=1.01, 95%CI=1.00; 1.01), WMHV (expß=0.94, 95%CI=0.81; 1.08), HV (ß=7.21, 95%CI=-54.06; 68.48), or risk of AD (OR 0.94, 95%CI=0.47; 1.86), but HbA1c was associated with visual memory (expß=1.06, 95%CI=1.05; 1.07) using a weighted median. IVW showed that reaction time was not associated with diabetes risk (OR 0.96, 95%CI=0.63; 1.46) or with HbA1c (ß coefficient mmol/mol=-0.08, 95%CI=-0.57; 0.42). Overall, we observed little evidence of causal association between genetic instruments for T2D or peripheral glycaemia and some measures of cognition and brain structure in midlife

Type 2 diabetes risks and determinants in second-generation migrants and mixed ethnicity people of South Asian and African Caribbean descent in the UK

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Excess risks of type 2 diabetes in UK South Asians (SA) and African Caribbeans (AC) compared with Europeans remain unexplained. We studied risks and determinants of type 2 diabetes in first- and second-generation (born in the UK) migrants, and in those of mixed ethnicity. METHODS: Data from the UK Biobank, a population-based cohort of ~500,000 participants aged 40-69 at recruitment, were used. Type 2 diabetes was assigned using self-report and HbA1c. Ethnicity was both self-reported and genetically assigned using admixture level scores. European, mixed European/South Asian (MixESA), mixed European/African Caribbean (MixEAC), SA and AC groups were analysed, matched for age and sex to enable comparison. In the frames of this cross-sectional study, we compared type 2 diabetes in second- vs first-generation migrants, and mixed ethnicity vs non-mixed groups. Risks and explanations were analysed using logistic regression and mediation analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Type 2 diabetes prevalence was markedly elevated in SA (599/3317 = 18%) and AC (534/4180 = 13%) compared with Europeans (140/3324 = 4%). Prevalence was lower in second- vs first-generation SA (124/1115 = 11% vs 155/1115 = 14%) and AC (163/2200 = 7% vs 227/2200 = 10%). Favourable adiposity (i.e. lower waist/hip ratio or BMI) contributed to lower risk in second-generation migrants. Type 2 diabetes in mixed populations (MixESA: 52/831 = 6%, MixEAC: 70/1045 = 7%) was lower than in comparator ethnic groups (SA: 18%, AC: 13%) and higher than in Europeans (4%). Greater socioeconomic deprivation accounted for 17% and 42% of the excess type 2 diabetes risk in MixESA and MixEAC compared with Europeans, respectively. Replacing self-reported with genetically assigned ethnicity corroborated the mixed ethnicity analysis. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Type 2 diabetes risks in second-generation SA and AC migrants are a fifth lower than in first-generation migrants. Mixed ethnicity risks were markedly lower than SA and AC groups, though remaining higher than in Europeans. Distribution of environmental risk factors, largely obesity and socioeconomic status, appears to play a key role in accounting for ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes risk

Type 2 diabetes risks and determinants in 2nd generation migrants and mixed ethnicity people of South Asian and African Caribbean descent in the UK

Objectives: Excess risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in UK South Asians (SA) and African Caribbeans (AC) compared to Europeans remain unexplained. We studied risks and determinants of T2DM in first- and second-generation (born in the UK) migrants, and in those of mixed ethnicity. / Design: Cross sectional analysis comparing T2DM in 2nd versus 1st generation migrants, and mixed ethnicity with non-mixed groups. Risks and explanations were analysed using logistic regression and mediation analysis, respectively. / Setting: UK Biobank, a population-based cohort of ~500k participants aged 40-69 at recruitment. / Participants: Ethnicity was both self-reported and genetically-assigned using admixture level scores. Europeans, mixed European/South Asians (MixESA), mixed European/African Caribbeans (MixEAC), SA and AC groups were analysed, matched for age and sex to enable comparison. / Main outcome measures: T2DM using self-report and glycated haemoglobin. / Results: T2DM prevalence was three to five times higher in SA and AC compared with Europeans [OR (95%CI): 4.80(3.60,6.40) and 3.30(2.70,4.10), respectively]. T2DM was 20-30% lower in second-versus first-generation SA and AC [0.78(0.60,1.01) and 0.71(0.57,0.87), respectively]. Favourable adiposity contributed to lower risk in 2nd generation migrants. T2DM in mixed populations was lower than comparator ethnic groups [MixESA versus SA 0.29(0.21,0.39), MixEAC versus AC 0.48(0.37,0.62)] and higher than Europeans, in MixESA 1.55(1.11, 2.17), and in MixEAC 2.06 (1.53, 2.78). Greater socioeconomic deprivation accounted for 17% and 42% of the excess T2DM risk in MixESA and MixEAC compared to Europeans, respectively. Replacing self-reported with genetically-assigned ethnicity corroborated the mixed population analysis. / Conclusions: T2DM risks in 2nd generation SA and AC migrants are a fifth lower than 1st generation migrants. Mixed ethnicity risks were markedly lower than SA and AC groups, though remaining higher than in Europeans. Distribution of environmental risk factors, largely obesity and socioeconomic status, play a key role in accounting for ethnic differences in T2DM risk

Beta-thalassemia

Beta-thalassemias are a group of hereditary blood disorders characterized by anomalies in the synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin resulting in variable phenotypes ranging from severe anemia to clinically asymptomatic individuals. The total annual incidence of symptomatic individuals is estimated at 1 in 100,000 throughout the world and 1 in 10,000 people in the European Union. Three main forms have been described: thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia and thalassemia minor. Individuals with thalassemia major usually present within the first two years of life with severe anemia, requiring regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Findings in untreated or poorly transfused individuals with thalassemia major, as seen in some developing countries, are growth retardation, pallor, jaundice, poor musculature, hepatosplenomegaly, leg ulcers, development of masses from extramedullary hematopoiesis, and skeletal changes that result from expansion of the bone marrow. Regular transfusion therapy leads to iron overload-related complications including endocrine complication (growth retardation, failure of sexual maturation, diabetes mellitus, and insufficiency of the parathyroid, thyroid, pituitary, and less commonly, adrenal glands), dilated myocardiopathy, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis). Patients with thalassemia intermedia present later in life with moderate anemia and do not require regular transfusions. Main clinical features in these patients are hypertrophy of erythroid marrow with medullary and extramedullary hematopoiesis and its complications (osteoporosis, masses of erythropoietic tissue that primarily affect the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, chest and spine, and bone deformities and typical facial changes), gallstones, painful leg ulcers and increased predisposition to thrombosis. Thalassemia minor is clinically asymptomatic but some subjects may have moderate anemia. Beta-thalassemias are caused by point mutations or, more rarely, deletions in the beta globin gene on chromosome 11, leading to reduced (beta+) or absent (beta0) synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin (Hb). Transmission is autosomal recessive; however, dominant mutations have also been reported. Diagnosis of thalassemia is based on hematologic and molecular genetic testing. Differential diagnosis is usually straightforward but may include genetic sideroblastic anemias, congenital dyserythropoietic anemias, and other conditions with high levels of HbF (such as juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia and aplastic anemia). Genetic counseling is recommended and prenatal diagnosis may be offered. Treatment of thalassemia major includes regular RBC transfusions, iron chelation and management of secondary complications of iron overload. In some circumstances, spleen removal may be required. Bone marrow transplantation remains the only definitive cure currently available. Individuals with thalassemia intermedia may require splenectomy, folic acid supplementation, treatment of extramedullary erythropoietic masses and leg ulcers, prevention and therapy of thromboembolic events. Prognosis for individuals with beta-thalassemia has improved substantially in the last 20 years following recent medical advances in transfusion, iron chelation and bone marrow transplantation therapy. However, cardiac disease remains the main cause of death in patients with iron overload

Corrigendum to: Cohort profile: Extended Cohort for E-health, Environment and DNA (EXCEED)

This is a correction to: International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 48, Issue 3, June 2019, Pages 678–679j, https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz07