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To analyze the relationship between the level of BP achieved with treatment and the risk for development of preeclampsia/eclampsia (PE), we conducted a historical cohort study on 149 consecutive pregnant women with treated chronic hypertension, evaluated between January 1, 2016, and November 31, 2022. According to office BP readings and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) performed after 20 weeks of gestation, the cohort was classified in controlled hypertension, white-coat uncontrolled hypertension, masked uncontrolled hypertension and sustained hypertension. Risks for the development of PE were estimated using logistic regression. One hundred and twenty-four pregnant women with a control BP evaluation were included in this analysis. The rates of PE were 19.4%, 27.3%, 44.8% and 47.1% for controlled, white-coat uncontrolled, masked uncontrolled and sustained uncontrolled hypertension, respectively. Compared with women with controlled hypertension, the relative risk for PE increased markedly in women with sustained uncontrolled (OR 3.69, 95% CI, 1.19-11.45) and masked uncontrolled (OR 3.38, 95% CI, 1.30-11.45) hypertension, but not in those with white-coat uncontrolled (OR 1.56 95% CI, 0.36-6.70); adjustment for covariates did not modify the results. Each mmHg higher of systolic and diastolic daytime ABPM increased the relative risk for PE ~4% and ~5%, respectively. Each mmHg higher of systolic and diastolic nocturnal BP increased the risk ~5% and ~6%, respectively. When these risks were adjusted for ABPM values in opposite periods of the day, only nocturnal ABPM remained as a significant predictor. In conclusion, masked uncontrolled hypertension implies a substantial risk for the development of PE, comparable to those of sustained uncontrolled. The presence of nocturnal hypertension seems important.

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Specialised structures that enable males to grasp females during sexual interactions are highly susceptible to selection and thus diverge relatively rapidly over evolutionary time. These structures are often used to test hypotheses regarding sexual selection such as sexually antagonistic co-evolution and sexual selection by female choice. In the present study, we determine whether there is a relationship between a novel record of scorpion sexual dimorphism, the sexual dimorphism of chelicerae (CSD), and the presence of the mating behaviour termed "cheliceral grip" (CG). The presence of both traits in the order Scorpiones is also reviewed from a phylogenetic perspective. The results confirm a strong relationship between CSD and the presence of CG. The morphological and behavioural patterns associated with "CSD-CG" are opposed to the predictions postulated by the hypothesis of sexually antagonistic co-evolution. However, if the female shows resistance after the deposition of the spermatophore, the possibility that the male exerts pressure as a "cryptic form" of coercion to prevent the interruption of mating cannot be ruled out completely. Female choice by "mechanical fit" could be another explanation for some aspects of the CG's contact zone. The possibility that the "CG-CSD" complex has evolved under natural selection in order to ensure sperm transfer is also considered.

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OBJECTIVE: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2002 indicate that prevalence of overweight and obesity continues to rise among Mexican Americans. Little is know about the dietary factors associated with this trend. Ethnic groups have different dietary patterns based on their geographical locations and cultural influences. We examined the dietary patterns of Mexican Americans and their association with total and central obesity. We hypothesized that Mexican-American adults following a traditional diet would have a lower prevalence of obesity than those following a more typical American diet. SUBJECTS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2002 included 659 Mexican-American adults, ages 18 years and older. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Dietary patterns were defined by cluster analysis of food group variables, expressed as percentage contribution to total energy intake. Obesity was assessed by body mass index (calculated as kg/m2) and central obesity by waist circumference. RESULTS: We defined four dietary patterns, each named for the food groups that were most predominant relative to the other clusters: poultry and alcohol, milk and baked products, traditional Mexican, and meat. Surprisingly, we did not identify a clear "healthy pattern" group in this population, as has been generally observed in other ethnic groups. Although the traditional Mexican diet contains relatively high intakes of legumes and dietary fiber, it also was high in cholesterol. Contrary to our hypothesis, those consuming the traditional Mexican diet pattern had high BMI and waist circumference values, which did not differ significantly from other groups. CONCLUSION: In this representative population of Mexican-American adults, we identified distinct dietary patterns, but these were not significantly associated with obesity. Rather, obesity was prevalent in all diet groups. More details on possible changes within the traditional pattern, including use of fast food vs home-prepared Mexican foods, are needed to better understand how diet can be associated with obesity in this population.

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Two alkylated 1,4-benzoquinones were identified from the defensive secretion produced by the neotropical harvestman Goniosoma longipes (Gonyleptidae). They were characterized as 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-ethyl-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone. We tested the effectiveness of these benzoquinone secretions against several predator types, including invertebrates and vertebrates. Different predators were exposed to the harvestmen's gland secretion or to distilled water in laboratory bioassays. Our results indicate that secretions containing the 1,4-benzoquinones released by G. longipes can be an effective defense against predation, and that the effectiveness of the secretion is dependent on the predator type. The scent gland secretion repelled seven ant species, two species of large wandering spiders, and one frog species, but was not an effective defense against an opossum. Our study also demonstrates that the scent gland secretion of G. longipes can work as a chemical shield preventing the approach of three large predatory ants for at least 10 min. The chemical shield may protect the harvestman against successive attacks of the same ant worker and also allow the harvestman to flee before massive ant recruitment. Our data support the suggestion that chemical defenses may increase survival with some but not all potential predators. This variation in defense effectiveness may result from many interacting factors, including the attack strategy, size, learning ability, and physiology of the predators, as well as the chemical nature of the defensive compounds, type of emission, and amount of effluent released by the prey.

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