Right ventricular remodelling in mild hypertensive patients: role of left ventricular morpho-functional parameters

Previous studies suggested that hypertensive patients with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy display right ventricular (RV) remodelling. Few data are available about RV remodelling in naive hypertensives without severe cardiac organ damage. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between RV and LV morpho-functional parameters in never-treated patients with grade 1 hypertension and whether central blood pressure (CBP), inflammatory and metabolic parameters are potentially associated with RV remodelling. 150 never-treated subjects without evidence of diabetes or other cardiovascular diseases were enrolled in our study. We recruited 100 patients with mild hypertension (twenty-four hours blood pressure (24 h BP) 65 130/80 mmHg) and 50 normotensive subjects matched for gender, age and body mass index. To estimate the LV/RV parameters, we performed echography as well as arterial tonometry to assess pulse wave analysis/velocity (PWA/PWV). We found 24 h BP, CBP and PWV were higher in hypertensive patients than in normotensives. In addition, LV mass index was higher in hypertensives, and greater RV free wall thickness was observed (5.3 \ub1 1.4 vs 4.6 \ub1 1.2 mm, P = 0.02). RV thickness correlated with interventricular septum (IVS), systolic CBP and RV E\u2032 (r = 0.50, P = 0.0001, r = 0.30, P = 0.003, r = 120.24, P = 0.015); linear regression analysis showed a correlation with only IVS (\u3b2 = 0.39, P = 0.001). RV E\u2032 was correlated with IVS, LV E\u2032 and systolic CBP (r = 120.35, P = 0.0001, r = 0.25, P = 0.012, r = 120.24, P = 0.019); the correlation with IVS and LV E\u2032 (\u3b2 = 120.310, P = 0.001; \u3b2 = 0.27, P = 0.004) was confirmed by linear regression analysis. Our study shows RV remodelling is mostly correlated with IVS thickness, supporting the ventricular interdependence hypothesis

Relationship between regulatory T cells subsets and lipid profile in dyslipidemic patients: A longitudinal study during atorvastatin treatment

Background: The CD4+ T-lymphocytes and their subtype CD4 + CD25highFoxP3+ regulatory T cells are receiving growing interest as major regulators of atherogenesis. We sought to investigate 1) whether the CD4 + cell subsets were expressed differently in dyslipidemic patients (Pts) and healthy subjects (HS) and 2) whether atorvastatin treatment could be associated in-vivo and in-vitro with cell changes in expression and functional response. Methods: CD4+ subsets frequency (CD4 + CD25highFoxP3+, CD4 + CD25-FoxP3+) and mRNA expression for FoxP3, IL-10 and TGF-\u3b2 were evaluated in 30 consecutive Pts at baseline and after a 3-month atorvastatin therapy, and in 17 HS. Results: The % of CD4 + cells did not differ between HS and Pts. The % of CD4 + CD25highFoxP3+ was higher in Pts than HS and did not change during treatment. The CD4 + CD25-FoxP3+ cells were similar between the two groups and were lower in Pts at visit 2. Cytokine expression and FoxP3 did not differ in HS and Pts and no substantial change was observed during treatment. At visit 1, CD4 + CD25highFoxP3+ cells were significantly correlated with both total-cholesterol (r = 0.570, P = 0.0002), LDL-cholesterol (r = 0.715, P = 0.0001), Apolipoprotein B (r = 0.590, P = 0.0001). In-vitro atorvastatin (up to 5 \u3bcM) failed to induce any significant modulation of cell functions. Conclusion: CD4 + CD25highFoxP3+ regulatory cells seem to be over-stimulated in the early pre-clinical phase of atherosclerosis and a relationship exists between their frequency and circulating lipids. A potential immuno-modulation by statin treatment is not achieved through a normalization in peripheral CD4 + cell subsets

Data report: x-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1556, South Atlantic Transect

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1556, located on a basement high above Site U1557, is one of the oldest sites drilled on the South Atlantic Transect with a basement age of ~61 Ma. Here, we present semiquantitative X-ray fluorescence core scan data from the Site U1556 splice and compare them with shipboard magnetic susceptibility and natural gamma ray (NGR) measurements to characterize elemental composition changes downcore. Elements primarily associated with detrital (e.g., Al, Fe, K, Ti, and Zr) and biogenic (e.g., Ca) sources are inversely correlated. Biogenic and detrital sourced elements vary synchronously with magnetic susceptibility and NGR measurements following alternations between silty clay and calcareous nannofossil ooze/chalk in Unit I, whereas biogenic sourced elements tend to dominate Unit II, corresponding to a lithology change to predominantly calcareous nannofossil ooze/chalk

Data report: x-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1583, South Atlantic Transect

The western South Atlantic Ocean has not been drilled since the end of the Deep Sea Drilling Program, leading to a dearth of sedimentary sequences available from this sector of the Atlantic Ocean. In 2020–2022, a transect of new sites was drilled during International Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions 390C, 395E, 390, and 393 at 31°S and spanning from 28.8°W to 15.2°W. Here, we use X-ray fluorescence data, combined with shipboard magnetic susceptibility and natural gamma radiation, to characterize the sediments below the oligotrophic South Atlantic Gyre at Site U1583. These geochemical data add to the otherwise understudied southwest Atlantic Ocean

Data report: x-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1559, South Atlantic Transect

During International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expeditions 390C, 395E, 390, and 393, deepwater sediments were recovered from the western flank of the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge along a crustal flow line at ~31°S. This multidisciplinary experiment allowed the recovery of data fundamental to reconstructing past climate changes as well as variations in ocean circulation, productivity, and chemistry (i.e., fluctuations in the carbonate compensation depth) in the South Atlantic Ocean.Here, we report semiquantitative elemental results from X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning of the sediment package cored at IODP Site U1559 in the South Atlantic Ocean. Located at 15°02.0941′W, Site U1559 is the easternmost site of the South Atlantic Transect and the closest to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, located on ~6.6. Ma ocean crust. The XRF data are also compared with magnetic susceptibility and natural gamma radiation measured on the R/V JOIDES Resolution to assess correlations with the different lithologic units/subunits. At Site U1559, sediments are predominantly nannofossil ooze with varying amounts of foraminifera, which is reflected by the dominant Ca counts. Trends in elemental counts reflect the slight variations in siliciclastic materials within the Pleistocene. Major shifts in elemental counts were observed at the sharp contact between Pliocene–Pleistocene Subunits IC and ID, as well as the Miocene–Pliocene transition

Data report: x-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1561, South Atlantic Transect

The western South Atlantic Ocean is a relatively understudied area of the world’s ocean, in part because of the lack of scientific ocean drilling and complete sedimentary sequences. During 2020–2022, a series of International Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions (390C, 395E, 390, and 393; South Atlantic Transect) sailed to this area, recovering material from the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at a latitude of ~31°S. Here, we used X-ray fluorescence scanning of the sediment cores recovered and combined the data with shipboard magnetic susceptibility and natural gamma radiation to generate long-term geochemical records at Site U1561. These records enable us to document climatic and environmental perturbations on varying timescales and explore the paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic history of the western South Atlantic Ocean during the Cenozoic

Data report: x-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1558, South Atlantic Transect

We report semiquantitative elemental data from X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning of Site U1558 sediment cores drilled during International Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions 390C and 393. These expeditions, together with Expeditions 395E and 390, form the South Atlantic Transect, which collected sediment and basement cores from the western flank of the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. XRF scanning of the continuous splice of Site U1558, using Holes U1558A and U1558F, was conducted at three acceleration voltages to capture a range of major, minor, and trace elements. At Site U1558, positive correlations exist between terrigenous-sourced elements (Al, Si, Ti, and Fe) and a negative correlation exists between the terrigenous-sourced elements and Ca. XRF geochemistry is correlated with lithologic changes, most notably at the boundary of Lithologic Units I and II, where Unit I is brown and reddish brown nannofossil-rich clay and Unit II is pink, pinkish white, pinkish gray, and light brown nannofossil ooze and chalk with varying amounts of clay and foraminifera. Peaks in XRF data align with the boundaries of Lithologic Subunits IIA and IIB and Subunits IIB and IIC