bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF EXPOSURE TO AMBIENT PM2.5 ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND HYPERTENSION AMONG PARTICIPANTS OF THE GLOBALLY CONDUCTED MAY MEASUREMENT MONTH 2018-2019
Authors: Anand Kritika , Mandal Siddhartha , Beaney Thomas , Mcardle Harsha , Poulter Neil , Prabhakaran Dorairaj 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Low-middle-income countries (LMICs) face most of the burden of air pollution and increasing incidence and mortality from increased blood pressure (BP) and hypertension. Yet, there is a paucity of studies linking air pollution and BP conducted in LMICs. We aim to extend the spatial coverage of the evidence using data from countries with different income and air pollution levels. We investigated the effect of exposure to short and long-term ambient PM2.5 on BP and prevalent hypertension in 125,198 participants from 29 countries during May Measurement Month (MMM) BP screening campaigns in 2018 and 2019.

Design and method:
We conducted a cross-sectional study using satellite-derived data on monthly average PM2.5 and assigned exposure (averaged for 1month, 3months, 6 months, and 1 year) to participants for the month in which BP measurement was recorded based on the coordinates of the MMM screening site. We used generalized additive models with penalized splines for BP and generalized linear models for prevalent hypertension, accounting for potential confounders and country-level clustering effects.

Results:
Short and long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 was associated with increased SBP and DBP at an individual level but not at the country level. We found the relationship non-linear, with significantly higher effects beyond 70ug/m3. An interquartile range increase (17.6ug/m3) in annual PM2.5 was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension with an odds ratio of 1.12 [95% CI: 1.09, 1.15]. Stratified analysis showed that individuals with high BMI and those with hypertension, particularly among those untreated and participants with comorbidities, were more susceptible to the effect of air pollution on BP.

Conclusions:
More high-quality data are required to evaluate individual air pollution exposure (using robust and granular data) with cardiovascular risk factors such as BP and major adverse cardiovascular events. Meanwhile, health policies promoting air pollution reduction are needed, particularly for those at the highest risk.
ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN THE PREVALENCE OF MASKED HYPERTENSION PHENOTYPES: ISOLATED AMBULATORY, ISOLATED HOME, AND DUAL MASKED HYPERTENSION
Authors: Fujiwara Takeshi , Kario Kazuomi , Mcmanus Richard 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Ethnic differences in the prevalence of masked hypertension (MH) are known. However, no studies have examined whether there are ethnic differences in the prevalence of MH phenotypes, assessed by ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) or home blood pressure (HBP), or both. The object was to investigate the ethnic differences in the prevalence of MH phenotype in individuals without a previous diagnosis of hypertension (NHT) and those with a diagnosed hypertension (HT).

Design and method:
Cross-sectional ABP, HBP, office blood pressure (OBP) and characteristic data were compared in 1,588 participants (mean age 61.8±10.4 years, 49.2% males, 80.1% HT, White British 16.8%, South Asian 9.9%, African Caribbean 10.6%, Japanese 62.7%) from combined database of the UK and Japan in clinical practice. Isolated ambulatory MH was defined as normal OBP (<140/90 mmHg) and HBP (<135/85 mmHg) and elevated daytime ABP (> = 135/85 mmHg), isolated home MH as normal OBP and daytime ABP (<135/85 mmHg) and elevated HBP (> = 135/85 mmHg), and dual MH as normal OBP and elevated daytime ABP and HBP.

Results:
Among participants with any phenotype of MH in NHT (n = 129) or HT (n = 356), 31.0% and 36.0% had isolated ambulatory MH, 29.5% and 25.3% isolated home MH, and 39.5% and 38.7% dual MH, respectively. For the diagnostic accuracy of HBP against daytime ABP for MH, there were no differences among groups in NHT; low sensitivity (50-73%), but moderate specificity (74-88). In HT, Japanese showed lower sensitivity (38%) than others (72-79%). There were no differences in specificities (78-94%) among groups. In diagnostic agreements of MH between ABP and HBP monitoring, Japanese showed lower reproducibility both in NHT and HT (Kappa statistic, 0.28 and 0.38, respectively) than other groups (0.38-0.52 and 0.51-0.55). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, Japanese in NHT showed higher odds ratio (OR) for isolated ambulatory MH and those in HT showed lower OR for isolated home MH compared with White British: 4.01 (p = 0.016), 0.36 (p = 0.004), respectively.

Conclusions:
In Japanese population compared with White British, HBP alone might underestimate the prevalence of MH and ABP could behave as a complementary to HBP.
THE HIGH-ENERGY DIET/STREPTOZOTOCIN TREATED MUNICH WISTAR FRÖMTER RATS: A NEW EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF DIABETES INDUCTION IN ESTABLISHED KIDNEY DISEASE
Authors: Vega-Martín Elena , González-Moreno Daniel , Sanz-Gómez Marta , Guzmán-Aguayo Ana Karen , Manzano-Lista Francisco Javier , Aránguez Isabel , Kreutz Reinhold , Fernández-Alfonso María S. 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is especially prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We aim to induce diabetes in the Munich Wistar Frömter (MWF) rat, a genetic model of established CKD.

Design and method:
16-week-old male MWF rats (n = 10 rats/group) were fed standard chow (MWF) or a high fat/high-sucrose diet for 6 weeks together with streptozotocin administration (STZ; 15mg/Kg i.p.) at the start of dietary exposure (MWF-D).

Results:
Water intake, urine excretion, GTT and HOMA-IR index evidenced the development of diabetes in MWF-D rats. Albuminuria was higher in MWF with no further effect of diabetes. However, renal expression of Kim-1 and Ngal, markers of renal damage, AT1R, AT2R and Collagen 1A1 were significantly higher in MWF-D rats. Perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT) amount was significantly higher in MWF-D rats and exhibited an upregulation of TNF-alpha and profibrotic factors (TGF-beta and Collagen 1A1), together with a downregulation of IL-10. Although blood pressure was not further increased by the induction of diabetes, heart weight and left ventricular wall thickness were higher in MWF-D, coincident with a reduction in systolic volume, but without a change in the ejection fraction.

Conclusions:
We propose the MWF-D rat as an experimental model of NDKD and suggest a strong relation between alterations in PRAT and increased renal damage.
POLYMORPHIC VARIANTS OF AGT (RS4762) AND GNB3 (RS5443) GENES AS PREDICTORS OF ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Voroniuk Kseniia , Sydorchuk Larysa , Hinhuliak Oleksandr , Repchuk Yuliia , Semianiv Marianna , Sokolenko Alina , Biletsky Semen , Ivashchuk Sergiy , Petrynych Oksana , Kazantseva Tetiana , Dzhuriak Valentyna 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
To evaluate the role of the polymorphism of AGT genes (rs4762) and GNB3 genes (rs5443) in the development of the essential arterial hypertension separately and by combining their polymorphic variants.

Design and method:
The case-control study involved 100 patients with EAH stage II, 1-3 degrees of blood pressure (BP), high and very high cardiovascular risk. Among the patients there were 21% (21) men, 79% (79) women. The mean age of patients was 59.86±6.22y.o. The control group consisted of 60 almost healthy individuals, relevant in age (49.13±6.28y.o.) and gender distribution (63% - women, 37% - men). To study of polymorphism of AGT (rs4762) and GNB3 (rs5443) genes was performed a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in real time.

Results:
The mutated T-allele of the AGT gene (rs4762) occurs in 15.97% of hypertensive residents of Northern Bukovyna, that is more frequent than in healthy individuals by 9.72% (p = 0.023); homozygous mutations of the AGT gene were not found in the control group at all. Whereas, the relative frequency of polymorphic variants of the GNB3 gene (rs5443, 825C>T) did not differ significantly between groups. The wild C-allele statistically significantly prevails over the mutated T-allele in both groups according to the AGT (rs4762) and GNB3 (rs5443) genes (p<0.001).
Binary logistic regression confirmed an increase in the risk of hypertension inheritance according to dominant and additive models in minor T-allele carriers of the AGT gene (rs4762) almost 3 times higher than in C-allele homozygotes (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03). Inheritance of EAH is not associated with polymorphic variants of the GNB3 gene (rs5443).

Conclusions:
The T-allele of the AGT gene (rs4762) increases the risk of hypertension almost 3 times, whereas, polymorphic variants of the GNB3 gene (rs5443) are not predictors of EAH in the observed.
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF AN NF1 SPLICING MUTATION THAT CAUSED EXON SKIPPING AND LED TO A TRUNCATED PROTEIN IN NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1
Authors: Lu Yiting , Zhang Di , Tian Tao , Yang Kunqi , Zhou Xianliang , Fan Peng 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is caused by mutations in the NF1 gene that encodes neurofibromin, a negative regulator of RAS proto-oncogene. Approximately one-third of the reported pathogenic mutations in NF1 are splicing mutations, suggesting that splicing mutations are not rare. The objective of this study was to identify the pathogenicity of splicing mutation in a Chinese family with NF-1 and determine the effects of the pre-mRNA splicing mutation by in vitro functional analysis.

Design and method:
Next-generation sequencing was used to screen candidate mutations and Sanger sequencing was performed for validation. We performed a minigene splicing assay to determine the effect of the splicing mutation on NF1 expression and three-dimensional structure models of wild-type and mutant-type neurofibromin were generated using SWISS-MODEL and PROCHECK method, respectively.

Results:
Next-generation sequencing analysis identified a pathogenic splicing mutation c.479 + 1G>C in NF1 in the proband who had typical pigmental lesions and severe renal artery hypertension. We speculated that the causative mutation originated from the proband's mother who died of glioma. The minigene splicing assay showed that the c.479 + 1G>C mutation caused the skipping of exon 4, leading to a Glutamine to Valine substitution at position 97 in neurofibromin and an open reading frame shift terminating at codon 108. Three-dimensional modelling of neurofibromin showed that several major domains were missing in the truncated protein, which would have affected its function.

Conclusions:
The splicing mutation c.479 + 1G>C identified in a Chinese pedigree with NF-1 caused the skipping of exon 4 and resulted in a truncated protein. Our findings would be of great significance for the molecular diagnosis and management of NF-1 and showed that the minigene splicing assay is a powerful tool for analyzing mRNA expression outcomes caused by donor splicing site variation.
POTASSIUM, URINARY METABOLOMICS, BLOOD PRESSURE AND GLUCOSE METABOLISM: THE AFRICAN-PREDICT STUDY
Authors: Strauss-Kruger Michél , Pieters Marlien , Zyl Tertia Van , Jacobs Adriaan , Gafane-Matemane Lebo , Schutte Aletta , Louw Roan , Mels Carina 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
A potassium deficient diet is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Both conditions occur more frequently in Black populations, who consume less potassium-rich foods than what is typically observed in White populations. Metabolomics is a useful tool in nutritional epidemiology and may help identify metabolic pathways involving potassium and its relationship with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recognizing metabolic pathways that may be dysregulated by potassium deficiency could help procure more accurate entry points for prevention and intervention strategies involving diet.

Design and method:
This study included 440 White and 350 Black adults from the African-PREDICT study (aged 20-30 years). We measured 24-hour BP and collected 24-hour urine samples to determine potassium and sodium concentrations. Fasting plasma glucose levels were determined. Amino acids and acylcarnitines were measured in spot urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Results:
Black participants had lower urinary potassium than Whites (36.6 vs. 51.1 mmol/day) (p<0.001). In the total group 24-hour urinary potassium associated positively with 2-aminoadipic acid (r = 0.111; p = 0.002), C3-[propionylcarnitine] (r = 0.091; p = 0.014), C4-[butyrylcarnitine] (r = 0.094; p = 0.009) and C5-[valerylcarnitine] (r = 0.072; p = 0.043) after Pearson (q <0.05) and partial correlations adjusting for sex, ethnicity, age, and waist circumference. With ethnic stratification these relationships remained statistically significant only in White participants. In accordance, Na/K+ ratio was inversely related to 2-amino adipic acid (r = -0.085; p = 0.018), C3- (r = -0.077; p = 0.038), C4- (r = -0.125; p<0.001) and C5-carnitine (r = -0.104; p = 0.004) in the total group. In the total group, 2-aminoadipic acid (r = 0.086; p = 0.031) and C4-carnitine (r = 0.088; p = 0.026) in turn were positively associated with 24-hour SBP and negatively with fasting plasma glucose [2-aminoadipic acid (r = -0.139; p<0.001), C3-carnitine (r = -0.083; p = 0.044), C4-carnitine (r = -0.115; p = 0.004) and C5- (r = -0.124; p = 0.002)].

Conclusions:
Our study highlights the important consideration of ethnic differences when investigating nutrient-metabolome relationships. Only in White adults did we observe a positive association of urinary potassium, with 2-aminoadipic acid and short chain acylcarnitines, which in turn related positively to blood pressure and negatively with plasma glucose levels. In White adults, early metabolomic changes related to potassium intake may contribute to BP regulation and glucose homeostasis.
GENETIC ASSOCIATION STUDY BETWEEN T-786C NOS3 POLYMORPHISM AND ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION IN AN ALGERIAN POPULATION OF THE ORAN CITY
Authors: Amrani Asma , Kiando Soto Romuald , Treard Cyrielle , Jeunemaitre Xavier , Bouatia-Naji Nabila 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
We aim in this study to analyze the relationship between NOS3 -786T/C, a common genetic variant and HTN in a sample of the Algerian population of the Oran city.

Design and method:
A case-control study has been performed on 154 subjects including 77 hypertensives and 77 normotensives. The recruitment of these subjects was done in local Health Centers of the city of Oran, West Algeria. Consent was obtained from all participants. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with restrictive fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to genotype the NOS -786T/C variant.

Results:
The distribution of the allelic frequencies did not differ between cases and controls. However, after adjustment with the age, sex, and body mass index, we observed a significant association between NOS -786C allele and HTN status.

Conclusions:
Our results indicate that the C allele of the NOS3 gene is associated with an increased risk of essential hypertension in this sample of the Algerian population of Oran city.
EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF HYPERTENSIVE DISEASE IN YOUTH WITH NORMAL SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS
Authors: Paterno. Carlos Alberto 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Hypertensive cardiovascular disease can develop functional and/or structural organ damage by the increase of the volume/pressure and arterial stiffness, even before the current cut-off level of the systolic/diastolic blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate in a young population with normal blood pressure levels if they presented any cardiovascular risk factors, arterial stiffness, signs, and symptoms of hypertensive disease.

Design and method:
This is a retrospective cross-sectional study developed between the years 2007/2022 from 9,600 non-invasive applanation tonometry, females-males 200-103 were entered, with an age range of 18 and 30 years old, and an average age of 24 years. Patients made their first cardiology visit without a previous diagnosis of arterial hypertension or decompensated associated diseases with a blood pressure not higher than 130/80 mmHg. Anthropological data, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were registered. Central Haemodynamics Parameters were measured with a SphygmoCor-PVX device (AtCor, Australia), a validated system employing the high-fidelity technique of applanation tonometry according to established protocols.

Results:
The average systolic/diastolic blood pressure among female-male was 112.9/72.4 mmHg-119.8/73.9 mmHg, respectively. Also, the Central Aortic Pressure in the female-male groups was 100.0 mmHg/103.7 mmHg, while the maximum values are 101.5 mmHg/106.0 mmHg, but the differences between the observed values and the normal levels of the Augmentation Index (a surrogate measure of arterial stiffness) were higher than normal in female-male 3.6%-4.6% indicating an incipient arterial stiffness. Into the female-male groups, were observed hyperlipidemia 10%-10%, smoking 26%-20%, minimal-mitral regurgitation 5%-8%, headache 46%-26%, palpitations 33%-25%, asthenia 22%-14%, sweating 9%-14%, and chest-pain 16%-27%, respectively. The percentage of women who had a history the polycystic ovarian syndrome was 19%, and the women in current or former estrogen-progesterone therapy were 17%-12%, respectively. Among the female-male groups that do not register any risk factor, symptoms, signs, or arterial stiffness were 8.5%-10%.

Conclusions:
In young people with normal blood pressure values, it is important to know the risk factors, symptoms, signs, and arterial stiffness of hypertensive disease for early diagnosis and to be able to optimize the time to start therapy.
REVISITING THE “ISCHEMIC CASCADE” WITH CONTEMPORARY METHODS
Authors: Yaneva-Sirakova Teodora , Georgiev Ranko , Mileva Niya , Hristova Irina , Psalla Dimitra , Vassilev Dobrin 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
The current understanding for acute ischemia is based on the concept for the “ischemic cascade”. According to it, coronary occlusion induces a predefined consequence of phenomena, in which every consecutive process occurs after induction from the previous one. We sought to investigate the temporary correlation between electrical and mechanical changes at the time of acute ischemia in a pig model.

Design and method:
We made closed and open chest experiments with 4 pigs. We registered simultaneously intracoronary ECG (icECG) from a balloon-occluded artery, fluoroscopic movement of a regular PCI wire, echocardiography, contrast echocardiography – to confirm perfusion region and hemodynamic monitoring. We compared the time events, that occurred on icECG, epicardial electrode ECG (eECG), echocardiography, movement of the intracoronary regular PCI wire. The study was funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund Research Grant for Fundamental Scientific Research 2021 KP-06-X53/15 and approved by the Bulgarian Food Agency.

Results:
Our preliminary results showed that icECG and the movement of the PCI wire during acute myocardial ischemia at the time of balloon occlusion, go simultaneously. The wall motion on echocardiography was with a time lag. When we compared the icECG form different sites of the coronary arteries, there was a time lag and lower magnitude of the ST segment elevation at distance from the site of the total occlusion.

Conclusions:
Based on these preliminary results with simultaneous registration of the icECG and PCI wire movement, we conclude that the electrical and mechanical phenomena at the time of acute ischemia occur simultaneously as assessed with contemporary methods. The regular PCI wire can be used for both purposes. This can be applied in humans for the detection of ischemia at the time of intracoronary interventions, which improve patient care and reduce procedural risk.
ABNORMAL INTER-ARM SYATOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCE IN ADULTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE
Authors: Murakami Tomoaki , Shiraishi Masahiro , Horibata Yoko , Tateno Shigeru , Kawasoe Yasutaka , Niwa Koichiro 
Published: June 2023

Objective:
Many papers have been reported that hypertension and cardiovascular disease are high frequency in adults with congenital heart disease. It is well known that significant inter-arm blood pressure difference can predict cardiovascular risk. We investigate the inter-arm blood pressure difference in adults with congenital heart disease.

Design and method:
We enrolled 100 consecutive subjects aged 20 years or more, who visited the Department of Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Chiba Cardiovascular Center. The exclusion criteria were history of arrhythmia, which makes accurate pulse wave analysis impossible and history of cardiac operation within 6 months. The patients were classified into 3 groups. The patients in group A had undergone surgery, which sacrifice subclavian arteries (subclavian flap method and original Blalock-Taussig shunt). The patients in group B had undergone surgery to their subclavian arteries, which conserve their subclavian arteries (modified Blalock- Taussig shunt). The patients in group C had not undergone surgery to their subclavian arteries. The bilateral brachial blood pressures were simultaneously measured using form PWV/ABI (Colin, Komaki, Japan). The inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference greater than 10mmHg was defined as significant inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference.

Results:
Patients’ age was 36.6±14.9 years. Mean difference between bilateral brachial systolic blood pressures was 8.2±13.6 mmHg. Twenty-one patients demonstrated the inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (29%). Nine patients were classified as group A and all patients in group A demonstrated inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (29.1±35.6mmHg). Sixteen patients were classified as group B and 9 patients had undergone modified Blalock-Taussig shunt bilaterally. Four patients (44%) in group B demonstrated inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (bilateral; 3, unilateral: 1). In 75 group C patients, 8 patients (11%) demonstrated inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference. There was no difference between group C patients in with and without the inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference in body mass index, hemoglobin A1 level, lipid profile.

Conclusions:
The significant inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference in adults with congenital heart disease is not uncommon. The intervention can strongly influence on their inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference.