Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

A decrease of plasma macrophage migration inhibitory factor concentration is associated with lower numbers of circulating lymphocytes in experimental Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of malarial anaemia. However, field studies have reported contradictory results on circulating MIF concentrations in patients with clinically overt Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We determined plasma MIF levels over time in 10 healthy volunteers during experimental P. falciparum infection. Under fully controlled conditions, MIF levels decreased significantly during early blood-stage infection and reached a nadir at day 8 post-infection. A decrease in the number of circulating lymphocytes, which are an important source of MIF production, paralleled the decrease in MIF levels. Monocyte/macrophage counts remained unchanged. At MIF nadir, the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10, which is an inhibitor of T-cell MIF production, was detectable in only 2 of 10 volunteers. Plasma concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-1beta were only marginally elevated. We conclude that circulating MIF levels decrease early in blood-stage malaria as a result of the decline in circulating lymphocytes.

Stronger transferability but lower variability in transcriptomic- than in anonymous microsatellites: evidence from Hylid frogs.

A simple way to quickly optimize microsatellites in nonmodel organisms is to reuse loci available in closely related taxa; however, this approach can be limited by the stochastic and low cross-amplification success experienced in some groups (e.g. amphibians). An efficient alternative is to develop loci from transcriptome sequences. Transcriptomic microsatellites have been found to vary in their levels of cross-species amplification and variability, but this has to date never been tested in amphibians. Here, we compare the patterns of cross-amplification and levels of polymorphism of 18 published anonymous microsatellites isolated from genomic DNA vs. 17 loci derived from a transcriptome, across nine species of tree frogs (Hyla arborea and Hyla cinerea group). We established a clear negative relationship between divergence time and amplification success, which was much steeper for anonymous than transcriptomic markers, with half-lives (time at which 50% of the markers still amplify) of 1.1 and 37 My, respectively. Transcriptomic markers are significantly less polymorphic than anonymous loci, but remain variable across diverged taxa. We conclude that the exploitation of amphibian transcriptomes for developing microsatellites seems an optimal approach for multispecies surveys (e.g. analyses of hybrid zones, comparative linkage mapping), whereas anonymous microsatellites may be more informative for fine-scale analyses of intraspecific variation. Moreover, our results confirm the pattern that microsatellite cross-amplification is greatly variable among amphibians and should be assessed independently within target lineages. Finally, we provide a bank of microsatellites for Palaearctic tree frogs (so far only available for H. arborea), which will be useful for conservation and evolutionary studies in this radiation.

Occlusive arterial disease of abdominal aorta and lower extremities: comparison of helical CT angiography with transcatheter angiography.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate helical CT angiography in the assessment of occlusive arterial disease of abdominal aorta and the lower extremities. Sixteen patients underwent both transcatheter angiography and helical CT. Helical CT was inconclusive in 6.2% of segments whereas angiography was inconclusive in 5%. The overall sensitivity of helical CT was 91% and specificity 93%. Segmental analysis found a sensitivity of 43% in infrapopliteal arteries, and a specificity of 86%.

Epidote in hydrous mafic magmas : near solidus phase relations in the lower crust

Crystallisation of hydrous mafic magmas at high pressure is a subject of numerous petrologic and experimental studies since the last century and is mainly related to the process of continental crust formation and the possible link between mantle derived melts and low pressure granitoids. Albeit the sequence of crystallization is well constrained by experimental studies, the origin of exposed lower crustal rocks exposed on the earth surface is controversial. Ones line of argument is favouring high pressure crystallization of dry or wet mafic magmas, whereas others invoke partial melting of pre-existing crust. Therefore studies involving field, textural and chemical observations of exposed lower crust such as in Kohistan (Pakistan) or Talkeetna (Alaska) are crucial to understand the continental crust formation processes via arc magmatism. Epidote-bearing gabbros are very sparse and always associated with the deep part of continental crust (>30 km) as in the Kohistan Arc Complex (Pakistan) or in the Chelan Complex (western U.S.). Magmatic epidote is restricted to a small temperature interval above the water-saturated solidus of MORB and represent the last crystallizing liquids in lower crustal regions. However, epidote and melt stability at lower crustal pressures are not clearly established.¦The Chelan complex (western U.S.) at the base of the Cascadian Arc is composed mainly by peraluminous tonalité associated with gabbroic and ultramafic rocks and was traditionally interpreted as a migmatitic terrain. However field, chemical and mineralogical observations rather suggest a magmatic origin and point to a protracted crystallization at intermediate to high pressure ~ 1.0 GPa dominated by amphibole fractionation and followed by isobaric cooling down to 650°C. Crystal fractionation modelling using whole rock composition and field constraints is able to generate peraluminous tonalité. The modelled crystallisation sequence and the volume proportions are in agreement with experimental studies performed at these pressures. The Chelan complex was thus not formed during a partial melting event, but represent the sequence of crystallisation occurring at the base of the crust. Massive fractionation of hornblende is able to generate peraluminous tonalité without significant assimilation of crustal rock.¦Similarly to the Chelan complex, the base of the Kohistan arc is composed of cumulates derived by high pressure crystallization of hydrous magma. In garnet gabbros, epidote occurs as magmatic phase, crystallising from hydrous interstitial melt trapped between grain boundaries at lower crustal pressures (Ρ ~ 1.2 GPa) for temperature of (650-700 °C). Trace and REE signature in epidote indicate that epidote was formed through peritectic reaction involving garnet, clinopyroxene and plagioclase. At the beginning of the crystallisation epidote signature is dominated by REE content in the melt, whereas at the end the signature is dominated by reacting phases. Melt in equilibrium with epidote inferred from the partition coefficients available is similar to intrusive tonalité up the section indicating that hydrous melt was extracted from the garnet gabbros. In some gabbros epidote shows single homogeneous compositions, while in others coexisting epidote have different compositions indicating the presence of solvi along the Al-Fe3+ join. The overgowths are only observed in presence of paragonite in the assemblage, suggesting high water content. At high water content, the hydrous solidus is shift to lower temperature and probably intersects the solvi observed along the Al-Fe3+ join. Therefore, several compositions of epidote is stable at high water content.¦-¦La composition chimique de la croûte continentale est considérée comme similaire à celle du magmatisme calco-alcalin de marge continentale active (enrichissement en éléments mobiles dans les fluides, anomalies négatives en Nb, Ta et éléments à haut potentiel électronique, etc...). Cependant la nature andésitique de la croûte continentale (Si02 > 60 wt%), résultant des nombreuses intrusions de granitoïdes dans la croûte supérieure, est sujette à polémique et le lien entre les magmas dérivés du manteau et les roches évoluées de faible profondeur n'est pas clairement établi (fusion partielle de croûte basaltique, cristallisation fractionnée à haute pression, etc...).¦Les affleurements de croûte profonde sont rares mais précieux, car ils permettent d'observer les phénomènes se passant à grande profondeur. Le complexe de Chelan (Washington Cascades) en est un exemple. Formé à environ 30 km de profondeur, il est composé de roches gabbroïques et ultramafiques, ainsi que de tonalités, qui furent souvent interprétés comme le produit de la fusion partielle de la croûte. Cependant, les relations de terrain, la chimie des éléments majeurs et des éléments traces sont cohérentes avec l'évolution d'un complexe magmatique mafique dans la croûte profonde ou moyenne ( 1.0 GPa), dominée par le fractionnement de l'amphibole. Après son emplacement, le complexe a subi un refroidissement isobare jusqu'à des températures de l'ordre de 650 °C, déduit de la composition chimique des minéraux. Un bilan de masse contraint pax les observations de terrain permet de calculer la séquence et les volumes de fractionnement. Les faciès évolués légèrement hyperalumineux observés sur le terrain peuvent être générés par la cristallisation de 3 % de websterite à olivine, 12 % d'hornblendite à pyroxène 33 % d'hornblendite, 19 % de gabbros, 15 % de diorite et 2 % de tonalité. Nous montrons ainsi qu'une série de fractionnement contrôlée par l'amphibole permet de générer des tonalités sans assimilation de matériel crustal et l'exemple de Chelan illustre la viabilité de ce processus dans la formation de croûte continentale.¦Les réactions proches du solidus saturé en H20 dans les systèmes basaltiques à des pressions élevées restent énigmatiques. Diverses expériences tendent à montrer que l'épidote est stable dans ces conditions, mais rarement observée (décrite ?) comme phase primaire dans les systèmes naturels. Les épidotes trouvées dans les gabbros de Jijal (nord-Pakistan) montrent des textures de type .magmatique telles qu'observées dans les roches évoluées. Le contenu en terres rares de ces épidotes est très variable allant de signatures enrichies en terres rares légères impliquant la présence de liquide interstitiel à des signatures complètement déprimées en ces mêmes éléments, évoquant une cristallisation en coexistence avec du grenat. Ces diverses signatures reflètent un chemin de cristallisation en présence de liquide interstitiel et enregistrent des réactions péritectiques impliquant grenat, clinopyroxene et plagioclase à des pressions de ~ 1.2 GPa pour des températures de 650-700 °C. Cependant dans quelques échantillons deux ou trois compositions d'épidotes coexistent démontrant la présence de lacunes d'immiscibilité le long de la solution solide épidote-clinozoïsite. La forte teneur en H20 du liquide magmatique est certainement à l'origine de la coexistence de deux compositions distinctes.

A performance lower bound for quadratic timing recovery accounting for the symbol transition density

The symbol transition density in a digitally modulated signal affects the performance of practical synchronization schemes designed for timing recovery. This paper focuses on the derivation of simple performance limits for the estimation of the time delay of a noisy linearly modulated signal in the presence of various degrees of symbol correlation produced by the varioustransition densities in the symbol streams. The paper develops high- and low-signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) approximations of the so-called (Gaussian) unconditional Cramér–Rao bound (UCRB),as well as general expressions that are applicable in all ranges of SNR. The derived bounds are valid only for the class of quadratic, non-data-aided (NDA) timing recovery schemes. To illustrate the validity of the derived bounds, they are compared with the actual performance achieved by some well-known quadratic NDA timing recovery schemes. The impact of the symbol transitiondensity on the classical threshold effect present in NDA timing recovery schemes is also analyzed. Previous work on performancebounds for timing recovery from various authors is generalized and unified in this contribution.

Uroradiological screening for upper and lower urinary tract anomalies in patients with hypospadias: a systematic literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Hypospadias is associated with anomalies of the urinary tract, but the exact prevalence and significance of these anomalies are still controversial. OBJECTIVES: To assess the percentage of patients with hypospadias and associated urological anomalies, either requiring or not requiring medical or surgical attention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched several databases using the following Mesh terms: hypospadias AND urination, ultrasonography, urinary tract/abnormalities, urinary bladder/radiography, ureteral obstruction, hydronephrosis or vesico-ureteral reflux. Type of uroradiological studies performed, type of urological anomalies, medical or surgical interventions, number of patients available, enrolled and undergoing uroradiological studies and number of patients with abnormal uroradiological exams were recorded. RESULTS: We found 24 studies. Four studies included 100% of available patients. In the other ones, the percentage of patients undergoing uroradiological screening varied from 12 to 82%. Frequency of anomalies varied from 0 to 56%. The most common anomalies were kidney position anomalies, vesico-ureteral reflux and hydronephrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The data published about screening patients with hypospadias for associated anomalies of their urinary tract are of poor quality. The clinical significance of the anomalies found is difficult to evaluate. We found no relationship between the severity of the hypospadias and associated anomalies of the upper or lower urinary tract.

Measurement with an automated oscillometric wrist device with position sensor leads to lower values than measurements obtained with an automated oscillometric arm device from the same manufacturer in elderly persons.

OBJECTIVE: Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring is recommended by several clinical guidelines and has been shown to be feasible in elderly persons. Wrist manometers have recently been proposed for such home BP measurement, but their accuracy has not been previously assessed in elderly patients. METHODS: Forty-eight participants (33 women and 15 men, mean age 81.3±8.0 years) had their BP measured with a wrist device with position sensor and an arm device in random order in a sitting position. RESULTS: Average BP measurements were consistently lower with the wrist than arm device for systolic BP (120.1±2.2 vs. 130.5±2.2 mmHg, P<0.001, means±SD) and diastolic BP (66.0±1.3 vs. 69.7±1.3 mmHg, P<0.001). Moreover, a 10 mmHg or greater difference between the arm and wrist device was observed in 54.2 and 18.8% of systolic and diastolic measures, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with the arm device, the wrist device with position sensor systematically underestimated systolic as well as diastolic BP. The magnitude of the difference is clinically significant and questions the use of the wrist device to monitor BP in elderly persons. This study points to the need to validate BP measuring devices in all age groups, including in elderly persons.

Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Radiolaria of the Lower Amurian Terrane: Khabarovsk region, far east of Russia

New data on biostratigraphy, sedimentology and tectonics of the Russian Far Eastern region (Lower Amurian terrane) are presented. This study shows that sedimentary sequence of the terrane consists of interbedded Radiolaria-bearing siliceous and volcaniclastic sediments spanning an interval of over 90 million years. It is shown that accumulation of radiolarian deposits on an oceanic plate was associated with alkaline (intraplate) volcanism in the Jurassic, while the plate was drifting, and with some are volcanism during the Early Cretaceous. The younger siliceous rocks contain volcaniclastic material and indicate that the studied sequence approached the trench in the Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Barremian) and became accreted in the late Albian-early Cenomanian. We describe and illustrate radiolarian species extracted fi om 21 samples. A taxonomic list of 194 taxa and nine plates of Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Radiolaria are presented.

Insights into the biogeographical history of the Lower Guinea Forest Domain: evidence for the role of refugia in the intraspecific differentiation of Aucoumea klaineana.

Determining the biogeographical histories of rainforests is central to our understanding of the present distribution of tropical biodiversity. Ice age fragmentation of central African rainforests strongly influenced species distributions. Elevated areas characterized by higher species richness and endemism have been postulated to be Pleistocene forest refugia. However, it is often difficult to separate the effects of history and of present-day ecological conditions on diversity patterns at the interspecific level. Intraspecific genetic variation could yield new insights into history, because refugia hypotheses predict patterns not expected on the basis of contemporary environmental dynamics. Here, we test geographically explicit hypotheses of vicariance associated with the presence of putative refugia and provide clues about their location. We intensively sampled populations of Aucoumea klaineana, a forest tree sensitive to forest fragmentation, throughout its geographical range. Characterizing variation at 10 nuclear microsatellite loci, we were able to obtain phylogeographic data of unprecedented detail for this region. Using Bayesian clustering approaches, we demonstrated the presence of four differentiated genetic units. Their distribution matched that of forest refugia postulated from patterns of species richness and endemism. Our data also show differences in diversity dynamics at leading and trailing edges of the species' shifting distribution. Our results confirm predictions based on refugia hypotheses and cannot be explained on the basis of present-day ecological conditions.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting onequarter of the world"s adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and results: We selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of 1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 0.6] and 2.6 mm Hg (CI: 4.2; 1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of 1.5 mm Hg (CI: 2.3; 0.6) and 1.9 mm Hg (CI: 2.8; 1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR Z 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR Z 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. Conclusions: Gazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.