2,031 research outputs found

    Higher yogurt intake is associated with lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals: Cross-sectional findings from the Maine–Syracuse longitudinal study

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    Associations between fermented dairy products and blood pressure are unclear. The current study therefore examined the association between yogurt and blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional analyses were undertaken on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Habitual yogurt consumption was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. The primary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure. Secondary outcomes included BMI (kg m-2), total cholesterol (mg dL-1), glucose (mg dL-1), HDL (mg dL-1), LDL (mg dL-1), triglycerides (mg dL-1), and plasma homocysteine (μmol L-1). Multivariable regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between yogurt and both SBP (p \u3c 0.05) and MAP (p \u3c 0.05) in hypertensive (n = 564) but not non-hypertensive participants (n = 351). Future observational and intervention studies should continue to focus on at-risk individuals to examine the potential benefits of yogurt

    Quantification of Cell Movement Reveals Distinct Edge Motility Types During Cell Spreading

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    Actin-based motility is central to cellular processes such as migration, bacterial engulfment, and cancer metastasis, and requires precise spatial and temporal regulation of the cytoskeleton. We studied one such process, fibroblast spreading, which involves three temporal phases: early, middle, and late spreading, distinguished by differences in cell area growth. In these studies, aided by improved algorithms for analyzing edge movement, we observed that each phase was dominated by a single, kinematically and biochemically distinct cytoskeletal organization, or motility type. Specifically, early spreading was dominated by periodic blebbing; continuous protrusion occurred predominantly during middle spreading; and periodic contractions were prevalent in late spreading. Further characterization revealed that each motility type exhibited a distinct distribution of the actin-related protein VASP, while inhibition of actin polymerization by cytochalasin D treatment revealed different dependences on barbed-end polymerization. Through this detailed characterization and graded perturbation of the system, we observed that although each temporal phase of spreading was dominated by a single motility type, in general cells exhibited a variety of motility types in neighboring spatial domains of the plasma membrane edge. These observations support a model in which global signals bias local cytoskeletal biochemistry in favor of a particular motility type

    Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine- Syracuse Longitudinal Study

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    Hypertension is a key modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) may be associated with improvements in blood pressure. However, few studies have examined the association between MedDiet adherence and blood pressure in non-Mediterranean populations, and findings are mixed. We analyzed cross-sectional data (Wave 6) for 851 participants of the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. MedDiet adherence was calculated using food frequency questionnaire data and a literature-based MedDiet adherence score. Dependent variables included systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Separate linear robust regression analyses revealed significant associations between MedDiet adherence and for SBP (b = -0.69, 95% CI = [-1.25, -0.20]), DBP (b = -0.33, 95% CI = [-0.58, -0.04]), and MAP (b = -0.45, 95% CI = [-0.77, -0.11]), but not for PP. These findings indicate that the MedDiet is associated with some metrics of blood pressure in a large, community-based, non-Mediterranean sample

    Characterizing K2 planet discoveries : a super-Earth transiting the bright K dwarf HIP 116454

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    We report the first planet discovery from the two-wheeled Kepler (K2) mission: HIP 116454 b. The host star HIP 116454 is a bright (V = 10.1, K = 8.0) K1 dwarf with high proper motion and a parallax-based distance of 55.2 ± 5.4 pc. Based on high-resolution optical spectroscopy, we find that the host star is metal-poor with [Fe/H] =–0.16 ± 0.08 and has a radius R = 0.716 ± 0.024 R ☉ and mass M = 0.775 ± 0.027 M ☉. The star was observed by the Kepler spacecraft during its Two-Wheeled Concept Engineering Test in 2014 February. During the 9 days of observations, K2 observed a single transit event. Using a new K2 photometric analysis technique, we are able to correct small telescope drifts and recover the observed transit at high confidence, corresponding to a planetary radius of pR = 2.53 ± 0.18 R ⊕. Radial velocity observations with the HARPS-N spectrograph reveal a 11.82 ± 1.33 M ⊕ planet in a 9.1 day orbit, consistent with the transit depth, duration, and ephemeris. Follow-up photometric measurements from the MOST satellite confirm the transit observed in the K2 photometry and provide a refined ephemeris, making HIP 116454 b amenable for future follow-up observations of this latest addition to the growing population of transiting super-Earths around nearby, bright stars.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

    Prospective Genomic Characterization of the German Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O104:H4 Outbreak by Rapid Next Generation Sequencing Technology

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    An ongoing outbreak of exceptionally virulent Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 centered in Germany, has caused over 830 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 46 deaths since May 2011. Serotype O104:H4, which has not been detected in animals, has rarely been associated with HUS in the past. To prospectively elucidate the unique characteristics of this strain in the early stages of this outbreak, we applied whole genome sequencing on the Life Technologies Ion Torrent PGM™ sequencer and Optical Mapping to characterize one outbreak isolate (LB226692) and a historic O104:H4 HUS isolate from 2001 (01-09591). Reference guided draft assemblies of both strains were completed with the newly introduced PGM™ within 62 hours. The HUS-associated strains both carried genes typically found in two types of pathogenic E. coli, enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Phylogenetic analyses of 1,144 core E. coli genes indicate that the HUS-causing O104:H4 strains and the previously published sequence of the EAEC strain 55989 show a close relationship but are only distantly related to common EHEC serotypes. Though closely related, the outbreak strain differs from the 2001 strain in plasmid content and fimbrial genes. We propose a model in which EAEC 55989 and EHEC O104:H4 strains evolved from a common EHEC O104:H4 progenitor, and suggest that by stepwise gain and loss of chromosomal and plasmid-encoded virulence factors, a highly pathogenic hybrid of EAEC and EHEC emerged as the current outbreak clone. In conclusion, rapid next-generation technologies facilitated prospective whole genome characterization in the early stages of an outbreak

    Characterizing K2 planet discoveries: a super-Earth transiting the bright K dwarf HIP 116454

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    Publisher's version/PDFWe report the first planet discovery from the two-wheeled Kepler (K2) mission: HIP 116454 b. The host star HIP 116454 is a bright (V = 10.1, K = 8.0) K1 dwarf with high proper motion and a parallax-based distance of 55.2 [plus or minus] 5.4 pc. Based on high-resolution optical spectroscopy, we find that the host star is metal-poor with [Fe/H] = −0.16 [plus or minus] 0.08 and has a radius R[subscript star] = 0.716 [plus or minus] 0.024 R[subscript circled dot] and mass M[subscript star] = 0.775 [plus or minus] 0.027 M[subscript circled dot]. The star was observed by the Kepler spacecraft during its Two-Wheeled Concept Engineering Test in 2014 February. During the 9 days of observations, K2 observed a single transit event. Using a new K2 photometric analysis technique, we are able to correct small telescope drifts and recover the observed transit at high confidence, corresponding to a planetary radius of R[subscript p] = 2.53 [plus or minus] 0.18 R[subscript circled plus]. Radial velocity observations with the HARPS-N spectrograph reveal a 11.82 [plus or minus] 1.33 M[subscript circled plus] planet in a 9.1 day orbit, consistent with the transit depth, duration, and ephemeris. Follow-up photometric measurements from the MOST satellite confirm the transit observed in the K2 photometry and provide a refined ephemeris, making HIP 116454 b amenable for future follow-up observations of this latest addition to the growing population of transiting super-Earths around nearby, bright stars

    Search for Narrow Diphoton Resonances and for gamma-gamma+W/Z Signatures in p\bar p Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV

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    We present results of searches for diphoton resonances produced both inclusively and also in association with a vector boson (W or Z) using 100 pb^{-1} of p\bar p collisions using the CDF detector. We set upper limits on the product of cross section times branching ratio for both p\bar p\to\gamma\gamma + X and p\bar p\to\gamma\gamma + W/Z. Comparing the inclusive production to the expectations from heavy sgoldstinos we derive limits on the supersymmetry-breaking scale sqrt{F} in the TeV range, depending on the sgoldstino mass and the choice of other parameters. Also, using a NLO prediction for the associated production of a Higgs boson with a W or Z boson, we set an upper limit on the branching ratio for H\to\gamma\gamma. Finally, we set a lower limit on the mass of a `bosophilic' Higgs boson (e.g. one which couples only to \gamma, W, and Z$ bosons with standard model couplings) of 82 GeV/c^2 at 95% confidence level.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figure

    Inclusive Search for Anomalous Production of High-pT Like-Sign Lepton Pairs in Proton-Antiproton Collisions at sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV

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    We report on a search for anomalous production of events with at least two charged, isolated, like-sign leptons with pT > 11 GeV/c using a 107 pb^-1 sample of 1.8 TeV ppbar collisions collected by the CDF detector. We define a signal region containing low background from Standard Model processes. To avoid bias, we fix the final cuts before examining the event yield in the signal region using control regions to test the Monte Carlo predictions. We observe no events in the signal region, consistent with an expectation of 0.63^(+0.84)_(-0.07) events. We present 95% confidence level limits on new physics processes in both a signature-based context as well as within a representative minimal supergravity (tanbeta = 3) model.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. Minor textual changes, cosmetic improvements to figures and updated and expanded reference
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