The dinoflagellate cyst genera <i>Achomosphaera</i> Evitt 1963 and <i>Spiniferites</i> Mantell 1850 in Pliocene to modern sediments: a summary of round table discussions

We present a summary of two round-table discussions held during two subsequent workshops in Montreal (Canada) on 16 April 2014 and Ostend (Belgium) on 8 July 2015. Five species of the genus Achomosphaera Evitt 1963 and 33 of the genus Spiniferites Mantell 1850 emend. Sarjeant 1970 occuring in Pliocene to modern sediments are listed and briefly described along with remarks made by workshop participants. In addition, several holotypes and topotypes are reillustrated. Three species previously assigned to Spiniferites are here considered/accepted as belonging to other genera: Impagidinium inaequalis (Wall and Dale in Wall et al. 1973) Londeix et al. 2009, Spiniferites rubinus (Rossignol 1962 ex Rossignol 1964) Sarjeant 1970, and Thalassiphora balcanica Baltes & 1971. This summary forms the basis for a set of papers that follows, where points raised during the workshops are explored in greater detail

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

BUILDING EXTRACTION USING MULTI SENSOR SYSTEMS

In this study, the automatic building extraction is aimed using object-based image analysis method with multi sensor system includes LiDAR, digital camera and GPS/IMU. The image processing techniques, segmentation and classification methods were used for automatic object extraction with defined rule set. The proposed method based on object based classification to overcome the limitation of traditional pixel based classification such as confusion of classes. The generated Digital Surface Model (DSM) from LiDAR point cloud was used to separate building and vegetation classes. The morphologic filters were utilized also optimization of mixed classes. In our proposed approach for building extraction, multi-resolution, contrast-difference and chessboard segmentations were applied. The object-based classification method was preferred in classification process with defined fuzzy rules. First, vegetation and ground classes were generated than building regions were derived with using the results of the classification and segmentation. The data set was obtained from the project of "NABUCCO Gas Pipeline Project". The data set actually was collected for corridor mapping of pipeline which will link the Eastern border of Turkey, to Baumgarten in Austria via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. The study area is a suburban neighborhood located in the city of Sivas, Turkey. The Leica ALS60 LiDAR system, DiMAC, Dalsa Area Bayer RGB Charge Coupled (CCD) Camera and GPS and CUS6 IMU system were used for data collection. The additional data sets were generated with point cloud collected by LiDAR and RGB images from digital camera. The rule sets for automatic building extraction were developed in Definiens e-Cognition Developer 8.64 program system. To evaluate the performance of proposed automatic building extraction approach, reference data set was generated with digitizing of extracted building over the orthoimage. The accuracy assessment was performed with completeness and correctness analyses. Based on the completeness and accuracy analysis, the success rates of 83.08% for completeness and 85.51% for correctness were achieved

Genetic diversity of CYP3A5 and ABCB1 variants in East-Central and South European populations

Background CYP3A5 enzyme encoded by CYP3A5 is important for drug metabolism in gut and liver, whereas P-glycoprotein by ABCB1, is an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump which exports endo- and exogenous substances outside the cell. Aim The study was to assess the prevalence of CYP3A5 alleles: *1, *2, *3, *4, *6 and *7, and C and T of ABCB1 in Poles, Belarusians and Bosnians and to compare it with the data reported from other European populations. Subjects and methods Overall, 511 unrelated healthy subjects from Poland (n = 239), Belarus (n = 104) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 168) were included in this study. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters (AMOVA version 2.9.3) were determined. Results In Poles, Belarusians and Bosnians the *3 allele of CYP3A5 was the most common, and wild-type allele *1, were: 5.8%, 1.6% and 2.1%, respectively. Allele *2 was very rare, and alleles *4, *6 and *7 were not detected. For the populations mentioned above, the ABCB1 allele C was: 48.1%, 51.4%, 52.4%, respectively. Conclusion In compared populations, the distribution of CYP3A5 variants but not ABCB1, differed significantly. Alleles *4, *6 and *7 of CYP3A5 did not occur or occurred rarely