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Ethnicity is an important determinant of blood pressure levels, being black individuals affected more than any other ethnic group. Arterial stiffening, an independent risk factor for hypertension, is also influenced by ethnicity. However, whether black individuals from different continents would have different patterns of arterial stiffening is still unknown. Thus, the authors aimed to compare pulse wave velocity (PWV) in black subjects living in Angola and Brazil. A total of 677 black individuals from two independent cross-sectional studies conducted in Brazil and Angola were included in this analysis. Carotid-to-femoral PWV was measured following the same protocols for both studies, as well as clinical and anthropometric variables. Adjusted PWV was higher in Brazilian blacks than in Angolans, regardless of sex (men from Brazil: 10.7 ± 1.8 vs men from Angola: 9.9 ± 1.8 m/s, P < .001; women from Brazil: 10.3 ± 1.5 vs women from Angola: 9.2 ± 1.3 m/s, P < .001). Although the cf-PWV was higher in Brazilian blacks, the age-related increase in cf-PWV was higher in Angolan men compared to Brazilians, but not in women. SBP showed the strongest association with cf-PWV, regardless of sex and country. However, age was associated with cf-PWV in all groups, except in Brazilian men. Our results clearly show a difference in PWV between two black populations, and highlight for sex differences in the hemodynamic parameters that might affect blood pressure levels in these populations.

The expression of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors has been related to different invasive and metastatic potentials in cancer. This study aims to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of TIMP-3 and MMP-9 in samples of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC), and actinic keratosis (AK). Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of TIMP-3 and MMP-9 in samples of BCC (n=22), SCC (n=10), and AK (n=15). Ten fields of both tumor parenchyma and tumor stroma were photographed and counted in image software. The ratio of positive cells to total cells was used to quantify the staining. A higher expression of MMP-9 was found in tumor stroma of SCC compared to BCC and AK. No significant differences in TIMP-3 expression were observed among the groups. Considering the well-described differences between these neoplasms, these results provide additional evidence of the role of MMP-9 in tumor invasiveness of keratinocyte-derived tumors.

AIM: This study examined the earliest stages in drug involvement, in terms of the relationship between alcohol and tobacco use, among adolescents from six European countries (Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom). International, gender and age differences were studied. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A large international sample of European adolescents (n = 10170, mean age = 13.3 years) was followed longitudinally. Data were gathered in the autumn terms of 1998 and 1999 by means of self-administered questionnaires. MEASURES: Adolescents' self-reports on smoking and alcohol behaviour were used. Both behaviours were classified into two categories, that of adolescents who had never used the substance and that of those who had used the substance at least once in their lives. Logistic regression was used to determine which substance was the best predictor of the subsequent use of the other substance. FINDINGS: Alcohol use and tobacco use were found to be associated with each other reciprocally. Results revealed that in Europe as a whole, tobacco use predicted subsequent alcohol use better than the converse. However, for Dutch girls, alcohol use predicted subsequent smoking behaviour better than the converse. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the development of alcohol and tobacco use patterns are closely related, but the order of progression is not universal and may reflect cultural factors