South African Hypertension Guideline 2006

Outcomes. Extensive data from many randomised controlled trials have shown the benefit of treating hypertension. The target blood pressure (BP) for antihypertensive management should be systolic BP < 140 mmHg, diastolic BP < 90 mmHg, with minimal or no drug side-effects. However, a lesser reduction will elicit benefit although this is not optimal. The reduction of BP in the elderly should generally be achieved gradually over 6 months. Stricter BP control is required for patients with end-organ damage, co-existing risk factors and co-morbidity, e.g. diabetes mellitus. Co-existent risk factors should also be controlled. Benefits. Reduction in risk of stroke, cardiac failure, renal insufficiency and coronary artery disease. The major precautions and contraindications to each antihypertensive drug recommended are listed. Recommendations. Correct BP measurement procedure is described. Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors and recommendations for antihypertensive therapy are stipulated. The total cardiovascular disease risk profile should be determined for all patients and this should inform management strategies. Lifestyle modification and patient education are cornerstones in the management of every patient. Drug therapy for the patient with uncomplicated hypertension should be as follows: first line – low-dose thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics; second line – add either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or a calcium channel blocker (CCB); third line – add another second-line drug not already used. In resistant hypertension where a fourth drug is needed, use either a centrally acting drug, vasodilator, alpha-blocker, or beta-blocker. The order of drug choice may change in those with compelling indications for a particular drug class. The guideline includes management of specific situations including hypertensive emergency and urgency, severe hypertension with target-organ damage and hypertension in diabetes mellitus, etc. Validity. The guideline was developed by a joint Southern African Hypertension Society and National Department of Health Directorate: Chronic Diseases, Disabilities and Geriatrics working group. Input was also obtained from representatives of the various related professional societies

On the investigations of galaxy redshift periodicity

In this article we present a historical review of study of the redshift periodicity of galaxies, starting from the first works performed in the seventies of the twentieth century until the present day. We discuss the observational data and methods used, showing in which cases the discretization of redshifts was observed. We conclude that galaxy redshift periodisation is an effect which can really exist. We also discussed the redshift discretization in two different structures: the Local Group of galaxies and the Hercules Supercluster. Contrary to the previous studies we consider all galaxies which can be regarded as a structure member disregarding the accuracy of velocity measurements. We applied the power spectrum analysis using the Hann function for weighting, together with the jackknife error estimator. In both the structures we found weak effects of redshift periodisation.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Part. and Nucl. Lett. 200

UBIAD1 Mutation Alters a Mitochondrial Prenyltransferase to Cause Schnyder Corneal Dystrophy

Abstract Background: Mutations in a novel gene, UBIAD1, were recently found to cause the autosomal dominant eye disease Schnyder corneal dystrophy (SCD). SCD is characterized by an abnormal deposition of cholesterol and phospholipids in the cornea resulting in progressive corneal opacification and visual loss. We characterized lesions in the UBIAD1 gene in new SCD families and examined protein homology, localization, and structure

UBIAD1 Mutation Alters a Mitochondrial Prenyltransferase to Cause Schnyder Corneal Dystrophy

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