| 1. |
- Ederle, Joerg, et al.
(author)
-
Carotid artery stenting compared with endarterectomy in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis (International Carotid Stenting Study): an interim analysis of a randomised controlled trial
- 2010
-
In: The Lancet. - 1474-547X. ; 375:9719, s. 985-997
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Stents are an alternative treatment to carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis, but previous trials have not established equivalent safety and efficacy. We compared the safety of carotid artery stenting with that of carotid endarterectomy. Methods The International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS) is a multicentre, international, randomised controlled trial with blinded adjudication of outcomes. Patients with recently symptomatic carotid artery stenosis were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive carotid artery stenting or carotid endarterectomy. Randomisation was by telephone call or fax to a central computerised service and was stratified by centre with minimisation for sex, age, contralateral occlusion, and side of the randomised artery. Patients and investigators were not masked to treatment assignment. Patients were followed up by independent clinicians not directly involved in delivering the randomised treatment. The primary outcome measure of the trial is the 3-year rate of fatal or disabling stroke in any territory, which has not been analysed yet. The main outcome measure for the interim safety analysis was the 120-day rate of stroke, death, or procedural myocardial infarction. Analysis was by intention to treat (ITT). This study is registered, number ISRCTN25337470. Findings The trial enrolled 1713 patients (stenting group, n=855; endarterectomy group, n=858). Two patients in the stenting group and one in the endarterectomy group withdrew immediately after randomisation, and were not included in the ITT analysis. Between randomisation and 120 days, there were 34 (Kaplan-Meier estimate 4.0%) events of disabling stroke or death in the stenting group compared with 27 (3.2%) events in the endarterectomy group (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, 95% CI 0.77-2.11). The incidence of stroke, death, or procedural myocardial infarction was 8.5% in the stenting group compared with 5.2% in the endarterectomy group (72 vs 44 events; HR 1.69, 1.16-2.45, p=0.006), Risks of any stroke (65 vs 35 events; HR 1.92, 1.27-2.89) and all-cause death (19 vs seven events; HR 2.76, 1.16-6.56) were higher in the stenting group than in the endarterectomy group. Three procedural myocardial infarctions were recorded in the stenting group, all of which were fatal, compared with four, all non-fatal, in the endarterectomy group. There was one event of cranial nerve palsy in the stenting group compared with 45 in the endarterectomy group. There were also fewer haematomas of any severity in the stenting group than in the endarterectomy group (31 vs 50 events; p=0.0197). Interpretation Completion of long-term follow-up is needed to establish the efficacy of carotid artery stenting compared with endarterectomy. In the meantime, carotid endarterectomy should remain the treatment of choice for patients suitable for surgery.
|
|
| 2. |
- Stolk, Lisette, et al.
(author)
-
Meta-analyses identify 13 loci associated with age at menopause and highlight DNA repair and immune pathways
- 2012
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 44:3, s. 260-268
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To newly identify loci for age at natural menopause, we carried out a meta-analysis of 22 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 38,968 women of European descent, with replication in up to 14,435 women. In addition to four known loci, we identified 13 loci newly associated with age at natural menopause (at P < 5 × 10(-8)). Candidate genes located at these newly associated loci include genes implicated in DNA repair (EXO1, HELQ, UIMC1, FAM175A, FANCI, TLK1, POLG and PRIM1) and immune function (IL11, NLRP11 and PRRC2A (also known as BAT2)). Gene-set enrichment pathway analyses using the full GWAS data set identified exoDNase, NF-κB signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction as biological processes related to timing of menopause.
|
|
| 3. |
- Werren, John H, et al.
(author)
-
Functional and evolutionary insights from the genomes of three parasitoid Nasonia species.
- 2010
-
In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 327:5963, s. 343-8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report here genome sequences and comparative analyses of three closely related parasitoid wasps: Nasonia vitripennis, N. giraulti, and N. longicornis. Parasitoids are important regulators of arthropod populations, including major agricultural pests and disease vectors, and Nasonia is an emerging genetic model, particularly for evolutionary and developmental genetics. Key findings include the identification of a functional DNA methylation tool kit; hymenopteran-specific genes including diverse venoms; lateral gene transfers among Pox viruses, Wolbachia, and Nasonia; and the rapid evolution of genes involved in nuclear-mitochondrial interactions that are implicated in speciation. Newly developed genome resources advance Nasonia for genetic research, accelerate mapping and cloning of quantitative trait loci, and will ultimately provide tools and knowledge for further increasing the utility of parasitoids as pest insect-control agents.
|
|
| 4. |
- Schoch, Conrad L., et al.
(author)
-
Finding needles in haystacks: linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi
- 2014
-
In: Database: The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1758-0463. ; 2014:bau061, s. 1-21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput sequencing require fast and effective methods for en masse species assignments. In this article, we focus on selecting and re-annotating a set of marker reference sequences that represent each currently accepted order of Fungi. The particular focus is on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, derived from type specimens and/or ex-type cultures. Re-annotated and verified sequences were deposited in a curated public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), namely the RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database, and will be visible during routine sequence similarity searches with NR_prefixed accession numbers. A set of standards and protocols is proposed to improve the data quality of new sequences, and we suggest how type and other reference sequences can be used to improve identification of Fungi.
|
|
| 5. |
- Barrett, Jennifer H., et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide association study identifies three new melanoma susceptibility loci
- 2011
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 43:11, s. 1108-1113
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report a genome-wide association study for melanoma that was conducted by the GenoMEL Consortium. Our discovery phase included 2,981 individuals with melanoma and 1,982 study-specific control individuals of European ancestry, as well as an additional 6,426 control subjects from French or British populations, all of whom were genotyped for 317,000 or 610,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our analysis replicated previously known melanoma susceptibility loci. Seven new regions with at least one SNP with P < 10(-5) and further local imputed or genotyped support were selected for replication using two other genome-wide studies (from Australia and Texas, USA). Additional replication came from case-control series from the UK and The Netherlands. Variants at three of the seven loci replicated at P < 10(-3): an SNP in ATM (rs1801516, overall P = 3.4 x 10(-9)), an SNP in MX2 (rs45430, P = 2.9 x 10-9) and an SNP adjacent to CASP8 (rs13016963, P = 8.6 x 10(-10)). A fourth locus near CCND1 remains of potential interest, showing suggestive but inconclusive evidence of replication (rs1485993, overall P = 4.6 x 10(-7) under a fixed-effects model and P = 1.2 x 10(-3) under a random-effects model). These newly associated variants showed no association with nevus or pigmentation phenotypes in a large British case-control series.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- van Es, Michael A, et al.
(author)
-
Angiogenin variants in Parkinson disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2011
-
In: Annals of Neurology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 70:6, s. 964-973
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Several studies have suggested an increased frequency of variants in the gene encoding angiogenin (ANG) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Interestingly, a few ALS patients carrying ANG variants also showed signs of Parkinson disease (PD). Furthermore, relatives of ALS patients have an increased risk to develop PD, and the prevalence of concomitant motor neuron disease in PD is higher than expected based on chance occurrence. We therefore investigated whether ANG variants could predispose to both ALS and PD.METHODS: We reviewed all previous studies on ANG in ALS and performed sequence experiments on additional samples, which allowed us to analyze data from 6,471 ALS patients and 7,668 controls from 15 centers (13 from Europe and 2 from the USA). We sequenced DNA samples from 3,146 PD patients from 6 centers (5 from Europe and 1 from the USA). Statistical analysis was performed using the variable threshold test, and the Mantel-Haenszel procedure was used to estimate odds ratios.RESULTS: Analysis of sequence data from 17,258 individuals demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of ANG variants in both ALS and PD patients compared to control subjects (p = 9.3 × 10(-6) for ALS and p = 4.3 × 10(-5) for PD). The odds ratio for any ANG variant in patients versus controls was 9.2 for ALS and 6.7 for PD.INTERPRETATION: The data from this multicenter study demonstrate that there is a strong association between PD, ALS, and ANG variants. ANG is a genetic link between ALS and PD.
|
|
| 8. |
- Woo, Daniel, et al.
(author)
-
Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies Identifies 1q22 as a Susceptibility Locus for Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
- 2014
-
In: American Journal of Human Genetics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9297. ; 94:4, s. 511-521
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the stroke subtype with the worst prognosis and has no established acute treatment. ICH is classified as lobar or nonlobar based on the location of ruptured blood vessels within the brain. These different locations also signal different underlying vascular pathologies. Heritability estimates indicate a substantial genetic contribution to risk of ICH in both locations. We report a genome-wide association study of this condition that meta-analyzed data from six studies that enrolled individuals of European ancestry. Case subjects were ascertained by neurologists blinded to genotype data and classified as lobar or nonlobar based on brain computed tomography. ICH-free control subjects were sampled from ambulatory clinics or random digit dialing. Replication of signals identified in the discovery cohort with p < 1 × 10(-6) was pursued in an independent multiethnic sample utilizing both direct and genome-wide genotyping. The discovery phase included a case cohort of 1,545 individuals (664 lobar and 881 nonlobar cases) and a control cohort of 1,481 individuals and identified two susceptibility loci: for lobar ICH, chromosomal region 12q21.1 (rs11179580, odds ratio [OR] = 1.56, p = 7.0 × 10(-8)); and for nonlobar ICH, chromosomal region 1q22 (rs2984613, OR = 1.44, p = 1.6 × 10(-8)). The replication included a case cohort of 1,681 individuals (484 lobar and 1,194 nonlobar cases) and a control cohort of 2,261 individuals and corroborated the association for 1q22 (p = 6.5 × 10(-4); meta-analysis p = 2.2 × 10(-10)) but not for 12q21.1 (p = 0.55; meta-analysis p = 2.6 × 10(-5)). These results demonstrate biological heterogeneity across ICH subtypes and highlight the importance of ascertaining ICH cases accordingly.
|
|
| 9. |
- Bentley, Michael J., et al.
(author)
-
A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum
- 2014
-
In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 100, s. 1-9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A robust understanding of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglacial history since the Last Glacial Maximum is important in order to constrain ice sheet and glacial-isostatic adjustment models, and to explore the forcing mechanisms responsible for ice sheet retreat. Such understanding can be derived from a broad range of geological and glaciological datasets and recent decades have seen an upsurge in such data gathering around the continent and Sub-Antarctic islands. Here, we report a new synthesis of those datasets, based on an accompanying series of reviews of the geological data, organised by sector. We present a series of timeslice maps for 20 ka, 15 ka, 10 ka and 5 ka, including grounding line position and ice sheet thickness changes, along with a clear assessment of levels of confidence. The reconstruction shows that the Antarctic Ice sheet did not everywhere reach the continental shelf edge at its maximum, that initial retreat was asynchronous, and that the spatial pattern of deglaciation was highly variable, particularly on the inner shelf. The deglacial reconstruction is consistent with a moderate overall excess ice volume and with a relatively small Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse la. We discuss key areas of uncertainty both around the continent and by time interval, and we highlight potential priorities for future work. The synthesis is intended to be a resource for the modelling and glacial geological community.
|
|
| 10. |
- van Assema, Danielle M. E., et al.
(author)
-
Blood-brain barrier P-glycoprotein function in Alzheimer's disease
- 2012
-
In: Brain. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0006-8950 .- 1460-2156. ; 135, s. 181-189
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is accumulation of amyloid-beta in senile plaques in the brain. Evidence is accumulating that decreased clearance of amyloid-beta from the brain may lead to these elevated amyloid-beta levels. One of the clearance pathways of amyloid-beta is transport across the blood-brain barrier via efflux transporters. P-glycoprotein, an efflux pump highly expressed at the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier, has been shown to transport amyloid-beta. P-glycoprotein function can be assessed in vivo using (R)-[C-11]verapamil and positron emission tomography. The aim of this study was to assess blood-brain barrier P-glycoprotein function in patients with Alzheimer's disease compared with age-matched healthy controls using (R)-[C-11]verapamil and positron emission tomography. In 13 patients with Alzheimer's disease (age 65 +/- 7 years, Mini-Mental State Examination 23 +/- 3), global (R)-[C-11]verapamil binding potential values were increased significantly (P = 0.001) compared with 14 healthy controls (aged 62 +/- 4 years, Mini-Mental State Examination 30 +/- 1). Global (R)-[C-11]verapamil binding potential values were 2.18 +/- 0.25 for patients with Alzheimer's disease and 1.77 +/- 0.41 for healthy controls. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, higher (R)-[C-11]verapamil binding potential values were found for frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices, and posterior and anterior cingulate. No significant differences between groups were found for medial temporal lobe and cerebellum. These data show altered kinetics of (R)-[C-11]verapamil in Alzheimer's disease, similar to alterations seen in studies where P-glycoprotein is blocked by a pharmacological agent. As such, these data indicate that P-glycoprotein function is decreased in patients with Alzheimer's disease. This is the first direct evidence that the P-glycoprotein transporter at the blood-brain barrier is compromised in sporadic Alzheimer's disease and suggests that decreased P-glycoprotein function may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
|
|
