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.

Trends in cardiovascular risk factors (1984-1993) in a Swiss region: results of three population surveys.

BACKGROUND: This study attempted to assess the time trends in lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors in the Swiss region of Vaud-Fribourg (population 784,000). METHODS: Three surveys (1984/1985, 1988/1989, and 1992/1993), based on independent representative samples (n = 3,300) of the population ages 25 to 74, were conducted within the framework of the international WHO-MONICA Project. RESULTS: The most favorable changes were observed in reported behaviors: increased physical activity in leisure time, healthier dietary habits (switch from unskimmed milk, butter, and meat to skimmed milk, margarine, and fish, with no change for fruits and vegetables), and lower prevalence of regular smoking among men (from 32 to 28%). Body mass index did not vary significantly, apart from an increase in the prevalence of obesity among men (from 11 to 15%). Total cholesterol varied only slightly, while the HDL cholesterol levels decreased steadily (from 1.37 to 1.19 mmol/L among men; from 1.59 to 1.51 among women). Average systolic blood pressure regressed among women (from 127.2 to 124.4 mm Hg), while the prevalence of untreated hypertension increased among older men. CONCLUSION: The self-reported changes in lifestyle were only partially reflected by favorable trends in objective measurements. Physical activity, even at moderate intensity, and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and fiber in general should be promoted.

Development of a hepatocyte hollow fiber bioreactor for the study of contrast agents by magnetic resonance imaging

Thanks to the continuous progress made in recent years, medical imaging has become an important tool in the diagnosis of various pathologies. In particular, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) permits to obtain images with a remarkably high resolution without the use of ionizing radiation and is consequently widely applied for a broad range of conditions in all parts of the body. Contrast agents are used in MRI to improve tissue discrimination. Different categories of contrast agents are clinically available, the most widely used being gadolinium chelates. One can distinguish between extracellular gadolinium chelates such as Gd-DTPA, and hepatobiliary gadolinium chelates such as Gd-BOPTA. The latter are able to enter hepatocytes from where they are partially excreted into the bile to an extent dependent on the contrast agent and animal species. Due to this property, hepatobiliary contrast agents are particularly interesting for the MRI of the liver. Actually, a change in signal intensity can result from a change in transport functions signaling the presence of impaired hepatocytes, e.g. in the case of focal (like cancer) or diffuse (like cirrhosis) liver diseases. Although the excretion mechanism into the bile is well known, the uptake mechanisms of hepatobiliary contrast agents into hepatocytes are still not completely understood and several hypotheses have been proposed. As a good knowledge of these transport mechanisms is required to allow an efficient diagnosis by MRI of the functional state of the liver, more fundamental research is needed and an efficient MRI compatible in vitro model would be an asset. So far, most data concerning these transport mechanisms have been obtained by MRI with in vivo models or by a method of detection other than MRI with cellular or sub-cellular models. Actually, no in vitro model is currently available for the study and quantification of contrast agents by MRI notably because high cellular densities are needed to allow detection, and no metallic devices can be used inside the magnet room, which is incompatible with most tissue or cell cultures that require controlled temperature and oxygenation. The aim of this thesis is thus to develop an MRI compatible in vitro cellular model to study the transport of hepatobiliary contrast agents, in particular Gd-BOPTA, into hepatocytes directly by MRI. A better understanding of this transport and especially of its modification in case of hepatic disorder could permit in a second step to extrapolate this knowledge to humans and to use the kinetics of hepatobiliary contrast agents as a tool for the diagnosis of hepatic diseases.

The effect of oxygen delignification on fiber properties in kraft pulp production - a review

Fiber damages comprise fiber deformations, characterized as fiber curl, kink, dislocations and strength losses as well as some yet unidentified factors. This recently discovered phenomenon is especially evident in mill scale kraftpulps. Laboratory produced pulps tend to have less damages and superior strength properties compared to those produced in pulp mills. Generally fiber damages pose a problem in the production of reinforcement pulp because they tend to decrease the ability of fibers to transmit load. Previous studies on fiber damage have shown that most of the fiber damages occur during brown stock processing starting from cooking and discharging. This literature review gives an overall picture on fiber damages occurring during softwood kraft pulp production with an emphasis on the oxygen delignification stage. In addition the oxygen delignification stage itself is described in more detailed extent in order to understand the mechanisms behind the delignification and fiber damaging effect. The literature available on this subject is unfortunately quite contradictory and implicates a lotof different terms. Only a few studies have been published which help to understand the nature of fiber damages. For that reason the knowledge presented in this work is not only based on previous studies but also on research scientist and mill staff interviews.

Identifying the Role of Final Consumption in Structural Path Analysis: An Application to Water Uses

The complexity of the connexions within an economic system can only be reliably reflected in academic research if powerful methods are used. Researchers have used Structural Path Analysis (SPA) to capture not only the linkages within the production system but also the propagation of the effects into different channels of impacts. However, the SPA literature has restricted itself to showing the relations among sectors of production, while the connections between these sectors and final consumption have attracted little attention. In order to consider the complete set of channels involved, in this paper we propose a structural path method that endogenously incorporates not only sectors of production but also the final consumption of the economy. The empirical application comprises water usages, and analyses the dissemination of exogenous impacts into various channels of water consumption. The results show that the responsibility for water stress is imputed to different sectors and depends on the hypothesis used for the role played by final consumption in the model. This highlights the importance of consumers’ decisions in the determination of ecological impacts. Keywords: Input-Output Analysis, Structural Path Analysis, Final Consumption, Water uses.

Guidelines for irrigation scheduling of banana crop in São Francisco Valley, Brazil. II - Water consumption, crop coefficient, and physiologycal behavior

The water consumption and the crop coefficient of the banana cv. Pacovan were estimated in Petrolina County, northeastern Brazil, in order to establish guidelines to irrigation water management. Evaluations were carried out since planting in January 1999 to the 3rd harvest in September 2001 on a microsprinkler irrigated orchard, with plants spaced in a 3 x 3 m grid. Average daily water consumption was 3.9, 4.0, and 3.3 mm in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd growing seasons, respectively. Crop coefficient values increased from 0.7 (vegetative growth) to 1.1 (flowering). Even with high soil water availability, transpiration was reduced due to high evaporative demand.

Differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations in Lleida, (Spain): a 6-months prospective observational study

Background: There are few studies comparing pharmaceutical costs and the use of medications between immigrants and the autochthonous population in Spain. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether there are differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations. Methods: Prospective observational study in 1,630 immigrants and 4,154 Spanish-born individuals visited by fifteen primary care physicians at five public Primary Care Clinics (PCC) during 2005 in the city of Lleida, Catalonia (Spain). Data on pharmaceutical consumption and expenses was obtained from a comprehensive computerized data-collection system. Multinomial regression models were used to estimate relative risks and confidence intervals of pharmaceutical expenditure, adjusting for age and sex. Results: The percentage of individuals that purchased medications during a six-month period was 53.7% in the immigrant group and 79.2% in the autochthonous group. Pharmaceutical expenses and consumption were lower in immigrants than in autochthonous patients in all age groups and both genders. The relative risks of being in the highest quartile of expenditure, for Spanish-born versus immigrants, were 6.9, 95% CI = (4.2, 11.5) in men and 5.3, 95% CI = (3.5, 8.0) in women, with the reference category being not having any pharmaceutical expenditure. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical expenses are much lower for immigrants with respect to autochthonous patients, both in the percentage of prescriptions filled at pharmacies and the number of containers of medication obtained, as well as the prices of the medications used. Future studies should explore which factors explain the observed differences in pharmaceutical expenses and if these disparities produce health inequalities.

Comparison of the consumption of antidepressants in the immigrant and native populations in a Spanish health region: an observational study

BACKGROUND: Health professionals and organizations in developed countries adapt slowly to the increase of ethnically diverse populations attending health care centres. Several studies report that attention to immigrant mental health comes up with barriers in access, diagnosis and therapeutics, threatening equity. This study analyzes differences in exposure to antidepressant drugs between the immigrant and the native population of a Spanish health region. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of the dispensation of antidepressant drugs to the population aged 15 years or older attending the public primary health centres of a health region, 232,717 autochthonous and 33,361 immigrants, during 2008. Data were obtained from computerized medical records and pharmaceutical records of medications dispensed in pharmacies. Age, sex, country of origin, visits, date of entry in the regional health system, generic drugs and active ingredients were considered. Statistical analysis expressed the percentage of persons exposed to antidepressants stratified by age, gender, and country of origin and prevalence ratios of antidepressant exposition were calculated. RESULTS: Antidepressants were dispensed to 11% of native population and 2.6% of immigrants. Depending on age, native women were prescribed antidepressants between 1.9 and 2.7 times more than immigrant women, and native men 2.5 and 3.1 times more than their immigrant counterparts. Among immigrant females, the highest rate was found in the Latin Americans (6.6%) and the lowest in the sub-Saharans (1.4%). Among males, the highest use was also found in the Latin Americans (1.6%) and the lowest in the sub-Saharans (0.7%). The percentage of immigrants prescribed antidepressants increased significantly in relation to the number of years registered with the local health system. Significant differences were found for the new antidepressants, prescribed 8% more in the native population than in immigrants, both in men and in women. CONCLUSIONS: All the immigrants, regardless of the country of origin, had lower antidepressant consumption than the native population of the same age and sex. Latin American women presented the highest levels of consumption, and the sub-Saharan men the lowest. The prescription profiles also differed, since immigrants consumed more generics and fewer recently commercialized active ingredients.

The effect of information and communication technology on global paper consumption

The objective of this thesis is to find out how information and communication technology affects the global consumption of printing and writing papers. Another objective is to find out, whether there are differences between paper grades in these effects. The empirical analysis is conducted by linear regression analysis using three sets of country-level panel data from 1990-2006. Data set of newsprint contains 95 countries, data set of uncoated woodfree paper 61 countries and data set of coated mechanical paper 42 countries. The material is based on paper consumption data of RISI’s Industry Statistics Database and on the information and communication technology data of GMID-database. Results indicate that number of Internet users has statistically significant negative effect on the consumption of newsprint and on the consumption of coated mechanical paper and number of mobile telephone users has positive effect on the consumptions of these papers. Results also indicate that information and communication technologies have only small effect on consumption of uncoated woodfree paper or no significant effect at all, but these results are more uncertain to some extent.

Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies six novel loci associated with habitual coffee consumption

Coffee, a major dietary source of caffeine, is among the most widely consumed beverages in the world and has received considerable attention regarding health risks and benefits. We conducted a genome-wide (GW) meta-analysis of predominately regular-type coffee consumption (cups per day) among up to 91 462 coffee consumers of European ancestry with top single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) followed-up in ~30 062 and 7964 coffee consumers of European and African-American ancestry, respectively. Studies from both stages were combined in a trans-ethnic meta-analysis. Confirmed loci were examined for putative functional and biological relevance. Eight loci, including six novel loci, met GW significance (log10Bayes factor (BF)>5.64) with per-allele effect sizes of 0.03-0.14 cups per day. Six are located in or near genes potentially involved in pharmacokinetics (ABCG2, AHR, POR and CYP1A2) and pharmacodynamics (BDNF and SLC6A4) of caffeine. Two map to GCKR and MLXIPL genes related to metabolic traits but lacking known roles in coffee consumption. Enhancer and promoter histone marks populate the regions of many confirmed loci and several potential regulatory SNPs are highly correlated with the lead SNP of each. SNP alleles near GCKR, MLXIPL, BDNF and CYP1A2 that were associated with higher coffee consumption have previously been associated with smoking initiation, higher adiposity and fasting insulin and glucose but lower blood pressure and favorable lipid, inflammatory and liver enzyme profiles (P<5 × 10-8).Our genetic findings among European and African-American adults reinforce the role of caffeine in mediating habitual coffee consumption and may point to molecular mechanisms underlying inter-individual variability in pharmacological and health effects of coffee.

Nestepakkauskartongin runkokerroksen rakenteen optimointi

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli optimoida KA4:n nestepakkauskartongin runkokerroksen massakoostumus ja rakenne kartonkikoneen uusinnan jälkeen. Työssä tutkittiin Natura 285 –laatua, jota käytetään yhden litran vetoisissa maitopurkeissa. Pääasiallisena tavoitteena oli lisätä CTMP:n osuutta ja vähentää mäntysellun osuutta rungossa siten, että kartongin laatu ei heikkene. Työn kirjallisuusosassa perehdyttiin nestepakkauskartongin kriittisiin ominaisuuksiin ja CTMP:n vaikutuksiin runkokerroksessa. Rainanmuodostusta ja kuituverkoston lujuuden syntymistä käsiteltiin omina kokonaisuuksinaan. CTMP:n freeness-tason huomattava vähentäminen kasvattaa kartongin z-lujuutta ja palstautumislujuutta merkittävästi. Samalla höyrynkulutus kuitenkin kasvaa ja kartongin jäykkyys laskee jonkin verran paksuuden vähenemisen seurauksena. CTMP:n freeness-tason alentaminen arvosta 420 ml CSF arvoon 380 ml CSF ei alenna bulkkia merkittävästi. CTMP:n määrän kasvattaminen yli 60 %:in keskikerroksessa alentaa palstautumislujuutta ja z-lujuutta merkittävästi. Runkokerroksen mäntysellun korvaaminen koivusellulla parantaa kartongin sileyttä merkittävästi vakiopaksuudessa. Runkokerroksen massakomponenttien jauhatuksen lisäämisestä huolimatta z-lujuus ja palstautumislujuus laskevat vastaavasti huomattavan paljon. Koivusellun käytöllä valmiin pakkauksen ominaisuudet eivät heikkene, mutta painatusominaisuudet paranevat. CTMP-laitoksen pääjauhinten uudella LE-terämallilla saavutetaan huomattava energian säästö vanhaan terämalliin verrattuna. Kuidun keskipituus laskee jonkin verran LE-terien ikääntyessä ja samalla kuitujen sitoutumiskyky heikkenee.

Lämpötilanmittaus magneettikuvausympäristössä optista tehon- ja tiedonsiirtoa käyttäen

Lääketieteellisen magneettikuvantamisen yhteydessä on tarpeen mitata mm. potilaan lämpötilaa. Kuvantamisessa käytettävät kentät asettavat suuret vaatimukset kuvauksen aikana käytettäville mittalaitteille. Magneettikuvausympäristöön soveltuva lämpötilanmittausjärjestelmä on mahdollista toteuttaa käyttämällä sekä lämpötilatiedon että sähkötehon siirtämiseen valokuitua, jolloin järjestelmä on täysin galvaanisesti erotettu. Valokuidusta tuleva optinen teho muunnetaan sähkötehoksi valosähkömuuntimella. Tämä diplomityö keskittyy magneettikuvauksessa käytettävän lämpötilanmittausjärjestelmän suunnitteluun. Haasteena oli optisesta tehonsiirrosta johtuva tarve minimoida tehonkulutus ja lämpötilamittauksen tarkkuusvaatimus. Järjestelmän prototyyppi voidaan rakentaa suunnittelun mukaisesti. Diplomityössä suunnittelutuloksia testattiin koekytkennän avulla ja näin varmistuttiin mittausperiaatteen toimivuudesta.

Water consumption and soil moisture distribution in melon crop with mulching and in a protected environment

Mulching has become an important technique for land cover, but there are some technical procedures which should be adjusted for these new modified conditions to establish optimum total water depth. It is also important to observe the soil-water relations as soil water distribution and wetted volume dimensions. The objective of the present study was to estimate melon evapotranspiration under mulching in a protected environment and to verify the water spatial distribution around the melon root system in two soil classes. Mulching provided 27 mm water saving by reducing water evaporation. In terms of volume each plant received, on average, the amount of 175.2 L of water in 84 days of cultivation without mulching, while when was used mulching the water requirement was 160.2 L per plant. The use of mulching reduced the soil moisture variability throughout the crop cycle and allowed a greater distribution of soil water that was more intense in the clay soil. The clayey soil provided on average 43 mm more water depth retention in 0.50 m soil deep relative to the sandy loam soil, and reduced 5.6 mm the crop cycle soil moisture variation compared to sandy loam soil.