Genome-wide association study identifies six new loci influencing pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure.

Numerous genetic loci have been associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in Europeans. We now report genome-wide association studies of pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). In discovery (N = 74,064) and follow-up studies (N = 48,607), we identified at genome-wide significance (P = 2.7 × 10(-8) to P = 2.3 × 10(-13)) four new PP loci (at 4q12 near CHIC2, 7q22.3 near PIK3CG, 8q24.12 in NOV and 11q24.3 near ADAMTS8), two new MAP loci (3p21.31 in MAP4 and 10q25.3 near ADRB1) and one locus associated with both of these traits (2q24.3 near FIGN) that has also recently been associated with SBP in east Asians. For three of the new PP loci, the estimated effect for SBP was opposite of that for DBP, in contrast to the majority of common SBP- and DBP-associated variants, which show concordant effects on both traits. These findings suggest new genetic pathways underlying blood pressure variation, some of which may differentially influence SBP and DBP

Single Particle Soot Photometer intercomparison at the AIDA chamber

Soot particles, consisting of black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), inorganic salts, and trace elements, are emitted into the atmosphere during incomplete combustion. Accurate measurements of atmospheric BC are important as BC particles cause adverse health effects and impact the climate. Unfortunately, the accurate measurement of the properties and mass concentrations of BC particles remains difficult. The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) can contribute to improving this situation by measuring the mass of refractory BC in individual particles as well as its mixing state. Here, the results of the first detailed SP2 intercomparison, involving 6 SP2s from 6 different research groups, are presented, including the most evolved data products that can presently be calculated from SP2 measurements. It was shown that a detection efficiency of almost 100% down to 1 fg BC per particle can readily be achieved, and that this limit can be pushed down to ~0.3 fg BC with optimal SP2 setup. Number and mass size distributions of BC cores agreed within ±5% and ±10%, respectively, in between the SP2s, with larger deviations in the range below 1 fg BC. The accuracy of the SP2's mass concentration measurement depends on the calibration material chosen. The SP2 has previously been shown to be equally sensitive to fullerene soot and ambient BC from sources where fossil fuel were dominant and less sensitive to fullerene soot than to Aquadag. Fullerene soot was therefore chosen as the standard calibration material by the SP2 user community, however many datasets rely solely on Aquadag calibration measurements. The difference in SP2 sensitivity was found to be almost equal (fullerene soot to Aquadag response ratio of ~0.75 at 8.9 fg BC) for all SP2s. This allows the calculation of a fullerene soot equivalent calibration curve from a measured Aquadag calibration, when no fullerene soot calibration is available. It could be shown that this approach works well for all SP2s over the mass range of 1–10 fg. This range is suitable for typical BC mass distributions in the ambient air far from sources. The number size distribution of purely scattering particles optically measured by the 6 SP2s also agreed within 15%. Measurements of the thickness of non-refractory coatings (i.e. product from α-pinene ozonolysis) on the BC particles, relying on BC mass, optical size and on an additional particle position measurement, compared also well (within ±17%). The estimated coating thickness values were consistent with thermo-optical analysis of OC and EC content, though absolutely accurate values cannot be expected given all the assumptions that have to be made regarding refractive index, particle morphology etc. This study showed that the SP2 provides accurate and reproducible data but also that high data quality is only achieved if the SP2 is carefully tuned and calibrated

Typification of plant names published by Giovanni Casaretto based on specimens collected in Brazil and Uruguay

International audienceGiovanni Casaretto (1810-1879) was appointed by King Charles Albert of Savoy-Carignano, Kingdom of Sardinia, as the botanist and mineralogist of a planned circumnavigation of the globe. After collecting in a few localities in southern Brazil and Uruguay, Casaretto collected for almost nine months, from April to December 1839, in Rio de Janeiro and its vicinity. While in Rio, he also bought about 100 collections from Riedel and about 500 collections from Clausen, which were made in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Minas Gerais, which he re-numbered and integrated into his collections. He also made significant collections in the state of Bahia, and a few collections in and around Recife (Pernambuco). Based on the preceding collections, Casaretto published a total of 101 names (in 36 plant families, delimited according to APG III), of which, according to the present study, 27 names are currently accepted, 12 serve as basionyms for currently accepted names, 7 are illegitimate due to superfluity, and 55 are heterotypic synonyms of previously published names. All the 101 names of Casaretto are hereby typified, and Eugenia casarettoana Delprete is here proposed as a substitute name for an illegitimate later homonym. In addition, a lectotype and an epitype for Couratari estrellensis Raddi are here designated