Pleistocene reef environments, constituent grains, and coral community structure: Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles

We investigated the degree to which component grains vary with depositional environment in sediments from three reef habitats from the Pleistocene (125?ka) Hato Unit of the Lower Terrace, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles: windward reef crest, windward back reef, and leeward reef crest. The windward reef crest sediment is the most distinctive, dominated by fragments of encrusting and branching coralline red algae, coral fragments and the encrusting foraminiferan Carpenteria sp. Windward back reef and leeward reef crest sediments are more similar compositionally, only showing significant differences in relative abundance of coral fragments and Homotrema rubrum. Although lacking high taxonomic resolution and subject to modification by transport, relative abundance of constituent grain types offers a way of assessing ancient skeletal reef community composition, and one which is not limited to a single taxonomic group. The strong correlation between grain type and environment we found in the Pleistocene of Curaçao suggests that constituent grain analysis may be an effective tool in delineating Pleistocene Caribbean reef environments. However, it will not be a sufficient indicator where communities vary significantly within reef environments or where evolutionary and/or biogeographical processes lead to different relationships between community composition and reef environment. Detailed interpretation of geological, biological, and physical characteristics of the Pleistocene reefs of Curaçao reveals that the abundance of the single coral species, Acropora palmata, is not a good predictor of the ecological structure of the ancient reef coral communities. This coral was the predominant species in two of the three reef habitats (windward and leeward reef crest), but the taxonomic composition (based on species relative abundance data) of the reef coral communities was substantially different in these two environments. We conclude that qualitative estimates of coral distribution patterns (presence of a key coral species or the use of a distinctive coral skeletal architecture), when used as a component in a multi-component analysis of ancient reef environments, probably introduces minimal circular reasoning into quantitative paleoecological studies of reef coral community structure.     

22nd European Workshop for Rheumatology Research, Leiden, The Netherlands, 28 February–3 March 2002

The European Workshop for Rheumatology Research met this year in Leiden, The Netherlands. The Workshop provided a platform to feast on new technologies and how they have taken research programmes forward. While there will be the inevitable delay during which mechanisms are devised for analysing the huge amount of information generated by these technologies, there is a lot already to look forward to. Highlights included genomic, reverse genomic and proteomic approaches to understanding disease pathogenesis and to identifying new therapeutic targets. Opportunities for exploring whether pharmacogenomics has a place in the clinic are now a reality, and phage display technology has been applied to in vivo arthritis models to identify human synovial microvascular 'post codes'.     

Weather conditions and daily television use in the Netherlands, 1996–2005

This study examines the impact of daily atmospheric weather conditions on daily television use in the Netherlands for the period 1996–2005. The effects of the weather parameters are considered in the context of mood and mood management theory. It is proposed that inclement and uncomfortable weather conditions are associated with lower human mood, and that watching entertainment and avoiding informational programs may serve to repair such mood. We consequently hypothesize that people spend more time watching television if inclement and uncomfortable weather conditions (low temperatures, little sunshine, much precipitation, high wind velocity, less daylight) coincide with more airtime for entertainment programs, but that they view less if the same weather conditions coincide with more airtime devoted to information fare. We put this interaction thesis to a test using a time series analysis of daily television viewing data of the Dutch audience obtained from telemeters (T = 3,653), merged with meteorological weather station statistics and program broadcast figures, whilst controlling for a wide array of recurrent and one-time societal events. The results provide substantial support for the proposed interaction of program airtime and the weather parameters temperature and sunshine on aggregate television viewing time. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Is Adding HCV Screening to the Antenatal National Screening Program in Amsterdam,The Netherlands,Cost-Effective?

Introduction

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to severe liver disease. Pregnant women are already routinely screened for several infectious diseases, but not yet for HCV infection. Here we examine whether adding HCV screening to routine screening is cost-effective.

Methods

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of implementing HCV screening of all pregnant women and HCV screening of first-generation non-Western pregnant women as compared to no screening, we developed a Markov model. For the parameters of the model, we used prevalence data from pregnant women retrospectively tested for HCV in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and from literature sources. In addition, we estimated the effect of possible treatment improvement in the future.

Results

The incremental costs per woman screened was €41 and 0.0008 life-years were gained. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was €52,473 which is above the cost-effectiveness threshold of €50,000. For screening first-generation non-Western migrants, the ICER was €47,113. Best-case analysis for both scenarios showed ICERs of respectively €19,505 and €17,533. We estimated that if costs per treatment were to decline to €3,750 (a reduction in price of €31,000), screening all pregnant women would be cost-effective.

Conclusions

Currently, adding HCV screening to the already existing screening program for pregnant women is not cost-effective for women in general. However, adding HCV screening for first-generation non-Western women shows a modest cost-effective outcome. Yet, best case analysis shows potentials for an ICER below €20,000 per life-year gained. Treatment options will improve further in the coming years, enhancing cost-effectiveness even more.     

Behaviour of selected PCBs,PAHs and γ-HCH in the Scheldt estuary,S.W. Netherlands

The behaviour of some organic micropollutants in the abiotic compartments water, particulate matter and bottom sediments of the Scheldt estuary, S.W. Netherlands, was studied between 1986 and 1989. Special attention was given to two individual PolyChlorinated Biphenyl congeners (PCB 52 and PCB 153), two Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene and γ-HCH. Dissolved PCBs and γ-HCH behave conservatively during estuarine mixing. The concentration of γ-HCH in the fresh-water is extremely high in spring compared to the other seasons. Dissolved fluoranthene does not behave conservatively. The concentration of dissolved fluoranthene in the freshwater endmember shows a seasonal dependence with highest concentrations in winter and lowest in summer. Benzo(a)pyrene could hardly be detected in the dissolved phase with the methods used. PCBs and PAHs in particulate matter and sediments behave essentially conservatively as a result of the mixing of riverine particulates with high, and marine particulates with low organic micropollutant contents. Particulate fluoranthene is removed at low salinities under (nearly) anoxic conditions probably by microbial degradation. The rivers Scheldt and Rupel appear to be the major sources for the compounds studied. However, in particular the organic micropollutant contents of the sediments indicate that important emissions along the estuary were or are still present. Measurements of individual PCBs and PAHs in the <63 μm fraction of a dated sediment core from a salt marsh in the eastern part of the Scheldt estuary show that the recent input of PCBs and PAHs into the estuaryis probably 2–3 times lower than the maximum input in the mid-1960s. The PCB profile shows postdepositional congener-selective mobilization caused by advective transport. The PAH assemblage is remarkably uniform in the sediment core. The PAH ratios indicate that combustion of coal is the main source of PAHs in the Scheldt estuary.     

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Limnological Institute,The Netherlands (1957–1982)

This paper marks the silver jubilee in 1982 of the Limnological Institute, The Netherlands. It describes the history, present research programme and organisation of the Institute, as well as its cooperative studies with other institutes and its training facilities.Some remarks about its future plans of work are made.     

Land-Applied Goat Manure as a Source of Human Q-Fever in the Netherlands, 2006–2010

Studies have shown a link between Q-fever positive farms (QFPFs) and community cases of human Q-fever. Our study is the first to investigate the potential role of contaminated land-applied manure in human Q-fever, based on a large set of nationwide notification and farm management data. Time between manure application and disease onset in geographically linked notified human cases coincided with the incubation period of Q-fever. Proximity of contaminated land parcels predicted human cases better than proximity of QFPFs (80% vs. 58%, 0–5 km in 2009). Incidence around QFPFs and contaminated land parcels decreased with distance, but not around non-contaminated land parcels. Incidence was higher around contaminated land parcels than non-contaminated land parcels (RR = [10],95%CI = [7], [1]–[14,2]). Our findings deliver evidence that, apart from QFPFs, land-applied contaminated manure may be another source of human Q-fever.     

Incidence of resistance to ampicillin,chloramphenicol, kanamycin,tetracycline and trimethoprim of Salmonella strains isolated in The Netherlands during 1975–1980

From 1975–1980, about 130 000 Salmonella strains isolated from various sources were tested for resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim. Following the ban on incorporation of tetracycline in animal feeds for nutritive purposes, tetracycline resistance in S. typhimurium and S. panama strains of porcine origin dropped from about 90% in 1974 for both species, to about 34% and 1%, respectively, in 1980. The incidence of resistance in human strains concurrently decreased from about 80% in 1974 to 25% and 1%, respectively, in 1980.The build-up of multiple resistance in bovine S. dublin and S. typhimurium strains, already started in 1973–1974, has continued. Recently, phage type 193 S. typhimurium strains have become predominant and they are invariably resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, sulphonamide and trimethoprim. Up to now, type 193 strains were hardly encountered in human patients, but the number of human isolates is slowly increasing.A fairly large number of multiply resistant strains belonging to S. oranienburg, S. schwarzengrund, S. typhimurium and, recently, S. krefeld have been isolated from adoptive children from the Far East.     

Heart transplantation in the Netherlands: quo vadis?

Heart transplantation is limited by the lack of donor organs. Twenty years after the start of the Dutch transplant programmes in Rotterdam and Utrecht the situation has even worsened, despite efforts to increase the donor pool. The Dutch situation seems to be worse than in other surrounding countries, and several factors that may influence donor organ availability and organ utilisation are discussed. The indications and contraindications for heart transplantation are presented, which are rather restrictive in order to select optimal recipients for the scarce donor hearts. Detailed data on donor hearts, rejected for transplantation, are shown to give some insight into the difficult process of dealing with marginal donor organs. It is concluded that with the current low numbers of acceptable quality donor hearts, there is no lack of capacity in the two transplanting centres nor is the waiting list limiting the number of transplants. The influence of our current legal system on organ donation, which requires (prior) permission from donor and relatives, is probably limited. The most important determinants of donor organ availability are: 1. The potential donor pool, consisting of brain dead victims of (traffic) accidents and CVAs and 2. Lack of consent to a request for donation. The potential donor pool is remarkably small in the Netherlands, due to relatively low numbers of (traffic) accidents, with an almost equal number of CVA-related brain dead patients compared with neighbouring countries. Lack of consent can only be pushed back by improved public awareness of the importance of donation and improved skills of professionals in asking permission in case there is no previous consent.     

Population genetics of α1-Antitrypsin in the Netherlands

Summary Two groups of 708 healthy blood donors and 563 patients affected with chronic obstructive lung disease (C.O.L.D.) respectively, have been screened for ₁-antitrypsin (₁AT) variants by electrophoresis on agarose-polyacrylamide gels at pH 4.7 and isoelectric focusing (IEF).The frequencies of the Pi (Protease inhibitor) alleles are comparable to those observed in the North European populations. As expected, the frequency of the Z gene is higher in the group of patients with C.O.L.D. Also the frequency of MZ phenotypes is higher among these patients, but in this case the difference is not statistically significant.With the aid of the electrophoretic methods described in the text we were able to detect a new electrophoretic variant (M₃) showing a mobility intermediate between the M₁ and the M₂ phenotypes.     

A new and alien species of “oyster leech” (Platyhelminthes, Polycladida, Stylochidae) from the brackish North Sea Canal, The Netherlands

A new species of polyclad flatworm, Imogine necopinata Sluys, sp. nov., is described from a brackish habitat in The Netherlands. Taxonomic affinities with Asian species and the ecology of the animals suggest that the species is an introduced, exotic component of the Dutch fauna. The new species belongs to a group of worms with species that are known to predate on oysters.     

Free-floating Ulva in the southwest Netherlands: species or morphotypes? a morphological,molecular and ecological comparison

Free-floating Ulva L. biomass in the eutrophic brackish ‘Veerse Meer’ lagoon (southwest Netherlands) consists of four morphologically identified species: U. curvata (Kützing) De Toni, U. lactuca L., U. rigida C. Agardh and U. scandinavica Bliding. U. curvata could be recognized easily because of the characteristic central cavity in the holdfast of the attached plants, the arrangement of cells in rows and the single pyrenoid in each cell. U. rigida was distinguished by the thick thallus and the large number of pyrenoids. The Veerse Meer isolate, however, was slightly different from the isolate from the Oosterschelde estuary (the Netherlands). U. lactuca and U. scandinavica showed a high degree of overlap in thallus thickness and cell size, but U. scandinavica usually possessed more pyrenoids. However, doubts have frequently been expressed about the use of some morphological characters in Ulva taxonomy. To determine the validity of such characters in the identification of Ulva species, the morphological variation within and between morphological species was recorded and a molecular data set generated. To detect possible ecophysiological differences between species, optimum temperatures and salinities for growth were determined experimentally. The sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and flanking regions of U. lactuca, U. rigida and U. scandinavica from the Veerse Meer were all identical, but differed from that of U. rigida from the Oosterschelde estuary. Ulva species from the Veerse Meer were most closely related to U. armoricana and U. rigida from Brittany (2.9% and 3.5% divergence respectively); the difference between U. rigida from the Veerse Meer and from the Oosterschelde estuary was 7.5%. Rooted trees, based on a comparison of these sequences with sequences of other Ulva and Enteromorpha species obtained from the literature, using Monostroma arcticum as outgroup, suggested that Ulva is paraphyletic with respect to Enteromorpha. The optimum temperature for growth of U. curvata was 25?°C; for all other species it was 10?°C. The optimum salinity for growth was 30?°C for all isolates. It is concluded that U. lactuca, U rigida and U. scandinavica from the Veerse Meer are all members of one highly polymorphic species.     

Damage to the leeward reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire,Netherlands Antilles from a rare storm event: Hurricane Lenny,November 1999

Fringing reefs along the southwestern shores of the Caribbean islands of Curaçao and Bonaire (12°N), located outside the most frequent hurricane tracks, are rarely affected by heavy wave-action and major storms, yet have experienced disturbances such as coral bleaching, coral diseases, and mass mortalities. The last major hurricane to hit these islands occurred over 100 yr ago. In November 1999, Hurricane Lenny took an unusual west-to-east track, bisecting the Caribbean Basin and passing approximately 200 miles north of Curaçao and Bonaire. The leeward shores of both islands were pounded for 24 h by heavy waves (~3–6 m) generated while the storm was centered far to the west. Reef damage surveys at 33 sites conducted between November 1999 to April 2000, following the storm, documented occurrences of toppling, fragmentation, tissue damage, bleaching, and smothering due to the storm. Reefs were severely damaged along westward-facing shores but less impacted where the reef front was tangential to the wave direction or was protected by offshore islands. At the most severely damaged sites, massive coral colonies 2–3-m high (older than 100 yr) were toppled or overturned, smaller corals were broken loose and tumbled across the shallow reef platform and either deposited on the shore or dropped onto the deeper forereef slope. Branching and plating growth forms suffered more damage than massive species and large colonies experienced greater damage than small colonies. Toppled massive corals have a high potential of preserving the event signature even if they survive and continue to grow. Reorientation of large, long-lived coralla may provide a unique indicator of disturbance in a reef system rarely affected by hurricanes. At some locations, wave scouring removed loose sediment to reveal a cemented framework of Acropora cervicornis rubble on the shallow platform above 10-m depth. This rubble was generated in situ, not by storm processes, but rather by an earlier mass mortality of thickets of staghorn coral that covered extensive areas of the shallow platform prior to the incidence of white band disease in the early 1980s.     

What’s in a hearth? Seeds and fruits from the Neolithic fishing and fowling camp at Bergschenhoek,The Netherlands,in a wider context

This paper presents new results from the Early Neolithic Dutch wetland site of Bergschenhoek (ca. 4200 cal b.c., Swifterbant Culture), which are compared with finds from similar features and sites. The data indicate the presence of predominantly eutrophic, nutrient-rich reed and forb vegetation and suggest the preparation of meals consisting of fish and fruits. The finds from the hearth, dominated by uncarbonised remains of wetland taxa, form a remarkable part of the find assemblage. Therefore, the discussion concerns assemblages, deposition processes and interpretations of uncarbonised and carbonised finds from hearths at comparable, contemporary sites. The wide variation of macroremains assemblages of hearths indicates that plant deposition in hearths is understood only partly and remains a topic for further research.     

KinCor,a national registry for paediatric patients with congenital and other types of heart disease in the Netherlands: aims,design and interim results

Objective

Studies in children with heart disease have been hampered by a lack of easily identifiable patient groups. Currently, there are few prospective population-based registries covering the entire spectrum of heart disease in children. KinCor is a Dutch national registry for children with heart diseases. This paper presents the aims, design and interim results of the KinCor project.

Methods

All children presenting at a Dutch university medical centre with a diagnosis of heart disease from 2012 onwards were eligible for registration in the KinCor database. Data entry is through a web-based portal. Entry codes have been synchronised with the European Paediatric Cardiac Coding system, allowing coupling with similar databases for adults, such as CONCOR.

Results

Between June 2012 and July 2015, 8421 patients were registered (76?% of those eligible). Median age of the patients was 9.8 years, 44.7?% were female; 6782 patients had morphological congenital heart disease. The most prevalent morphological congenital heart defects were ventricular septal defects (18?%), Tetralogy of Fallot (10?%) and transposition of great arteries (9?%). For 42?% of the patients additional diagnoses were registered. Sixty percent of patients had undergone at least one intervention (catheter intervention or surgery).

Conclusion

The KinCor database has developed into a large registry of data of children with all types of heart disease and continues to grow. This database will provide the opportunity for epidemiological research projects on congenital and other types of heart disease in children. Entry codes are shared with the CONCOR database, which may provide a unique dataset.