Baseline Assessment of Mesophotic Reefs of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain Based on Water Quality,Microbial Diversity,Benthic Cover and Fish Biomass Data

Seamounts are considered important sources of biodiversity and minerals. However, their biodiversity and health status are not well understood; therefore, potential conservation problems are unknown. The mesophotic reefs of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain (VTC) were investigated via benthic community and fish surveys, metagenomic and water chemistry analyses, and water microbial abundance estimations. The VTC is a mosaic of reef systems and includes fleshy algae dominated rhodolith beds, crustose coralline algae (CCA) reefs, and turf algae dominated rocky reefs of varying health levels. Macro-carnivores and larger fish presented higher biomass at the CCA reefs (4.4 kg per frame) than in the rhodolith beds and rocky reefs (0.0 to 0.1 kg per frame). A larger number of metagenomic sequences identified as primary producers (e.g., Chlorophyta and Streptophyta) were found at the CCA reefs. However, the rocky reefs contained more diseased corals (>90%) than the CCA reefs (~40%) and rhodolith beds (~10%). Metagenomic analyses indicated a heterotrophic and fast-growing microbiome in rocky reef corals that may possibly lead to unhealthy conditions possibly enhanced by environmental features (e.g. light stress and high loads of labile dissolved organic carbon). VTC mounts represent important hotspots of biodiversity that deserve further conservation actions.     

Cesarean Section and Subsequent Stillbirth,Is Confounding by Indication Responsible for the Apparent Association? An Updated Cohort Analysis of a Large Perinatal Database

Background

Several studies and a recent meta-analysis have suggested that previous Cesarean section may increase the risk of stillbirth in a subsequent pregnancy. Given the high rates of Cesarean section in contemporary obstetric practice, this is of considerable public health importance. We sought to evaluate the potential that this association is the result of residual confounding bias.

Methods

A large perinatal database (Alberta Perinatal Health Project) was searched to identify a matched set of first and second births from the years 1992–2006. Data on pregnancy outcomes, demographics and potential confounding factors were obtained.

Results

The cohort was comprised of 98538 matched first and second births. Multivariate analysis did not reveal an association between previous Cesarean section and stillbirth, OR = 1.38 (0.98, 1.93). Restricting the analysis to a low risk group further attenuated the association, OR = .99 (0.62, 1.52). Analysis of the risk by indication for Cesarean section found that the risk was not increased for previous dystocia, OR = .91 (0.53, 1.55) nor for breech presentation, OR = 1.06 (0.50, 2.28) but only for other indications including non reassuring fetal status and fetal distress, OR = 1.96 (1.29, 2.98).

Conclusions

The results of our cohort analysis suggest that previous Cesarean section does not cause an increased risk of stillbirth.     

Biodiversity Realism: Preserving the tree of life

Biodiversity is a key concept in the biological sciences. While it has its origin in conservation biology, it has become useful across multiple biological disciplines as a means to describe biological variation. It remains, however, unclear what particular biological units the concept refers to. There are currently multiple accounts of which biological features constitute biodiversity and how these are to be measured. In this paper, I draw from the species concept debate to argue for a set of desiderata for the concept of “biodiversity” that is both principled and coheres with the concept’s use. Given these desiderata, this concept should be understood as referring to difference quantified in terms of the phylogenetic structure of lineages, also known as the ‘tree of life’.     

Enigmatic traces in infaunal bivalves from the late Quaternary of Argentina,Southwestern Atlantic. Bioerosion,bioclaustration or nothing?

Ichnological investigations were carried out on late Quaternary shells of the intertidal deep infaunal bivalve Tagelus plebeius (Lightfoot, 1786) found along the southwestern Atlantic, between Uruguay and the southernmost Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. Analyses reveal distinctive marks that are spread on the outer shell surface only. The marks are regular-unbranched-elongate, perpendicular to the outer shell growth lines, with deflections on the margins, never interconnected, without bifurcations, conforming bottom-up constructions. They occur in hundreds of specimens from many samples taken from sediments ranging in age from the late Pleistocene to the Recent. These marks have never been reported or described for this species and their origin and formation remain elusive. We describe these traces thoroughly and we propose an explanation for their preservation on about half the shells examined. Potential destructive boring structures (excavated from outside-in) or bioerosion activities by other macro- or micro-organisms are dismissed. These antimarginal asymmetric traces point instead to a process of constructive bioclaustrations (grown from the bottom-up) produced in situ during the life of the bivalve by unknown symbiont organisms. Additionally, the regular pattern observed for the marks exclude host growth as a consequence of abiotic/extrinsic causes. From a palaeoecological perspective, these structures suggest a biotic interaction that was hitherto undescribed neither for bivalves nor for the late Quaternary of the southwestern Atlantic.     

Seasonal Variation in Occurrence of Pulmonary Embolism: Analysis of the Database of the Emilia‐Romagna Region,Italy

Seasonal variation in the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, including pulmonary embolism (PE), has been reported; however, recent large‐scale, population‐based studies conducted in the United States did not confirm such seasonality. The aim of this large‐scale population study was to determine whether a temporal pattern in the occurrence of PE exists. The analysis considered all consecutive cases of PE in the database of all hospital admissions of the Emilia Romagna region in Italy at the Center for Health Statistics between January 1998 and December 2005. PE cases were first grouped according to season of occurrence, and the data were analyzed by the χ² test for goodness of fit. Then, inferential chronobiologic (cosinor and partial Fourier) analysis was applied to monthly data, and the best‐fitting curve for the annual variation was derived. The total sample consisted of 19,245 patients (8,143 male, mean age 71.6±14.1 yrs; 11,102 female, mean age 76.1±13.7 yrs). Of these, 2,484 were <65 yrs, 5,443 were between 65 and 74, and 11,318 were ≥75 yrs. There were 4,486 (23.3%) fatal‐case outcomes. PE occurred least frequently in spring (n=4,442 or 23.1%) and most frequent in winter (n=5,236 or 27.2%, goodness of fit χ²=75.75, p<0.001). Similar results were obtained for subgroups formed by gender, age, fatal/non‐fatal outcome, presence/absence of major underlying co‐morbid conditions, and specific risk factors. Inferential chronobiological analysis identified a significant annual pattern in PE, with the peak between November and December for the total sample of cases (p<0.001), males (p<0.001), females (p=0.002), fatal and non‐fatal cases (p<0.001 for both), and subgroups formed by age (<65 yrs, p=0.012; 65–74 yrs, p<0.001; ≥75 yrs, p=0.012). This pattern was independent of the presence/absence of hypertension (p=0.003 and p<0.001, respectively), pulmonary disease (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively), stroke (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively), neoplasms (p=0.005 and p=0.001, respectively), heart failure (p=0.022 and p<0.001, respectively), and deep vein thrombosis (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively). However, only a non‐statistically significant trend was found for subgroups formed by cases of diabetes mellitus, infections, renal failure, and trauma.     

Dictyostelids living in the soils of the Atlantic forest, Iguazú region, Misiones, Argentina: description of new species

Thirteen new species and varieties of dictyostelid cellular slime molds (csm) were isolated from soils of the Atlantic Subtropical Rain Forest at the Iguazú Falls, Northeastern Misiones Province, Argentina. Seven new species are described herein, one of them is a Polysphondylium, while the rest of the species belong to the genus Dictyostelium. Also, six taxa are new varieties of Dictyostelium and Acytostelium, which will be reported later. Fourteen Northern Hemisphere (Tikal) species have also been isolated from Iguazú soils, some of them new records for Southern South America. This csm community, when compared with others from forests of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly Tikal, Guatemala, give some insight into a possibly different evolutionary history and/or natural selection in the two areas.     

Mercury levels assessment in hair of riverside inhabitants of the Tapajós River,Pará State,Amazon, Brazil: Fish consumption as a possible route of exposure

The study present evaluated the levels of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in hair samples of people from Barreiras community, riverside inhabitants of the Tapajós River (Pará, Brazil), an area impacted by clandestine gold mining, as well as we analyzed the levels of Hg and Se (selenium) in nine fish species (carnivores and non-carnivorous) from the Tapajós River, which stand out as the main species consumed by riverside inhabitants, to evaluate a relationship between frequency of fish consumption and Hg concentration, and also to evaluate possible mechanisms of fish protection (or non-protection) to Hg exposure by Se. Furthermore we analyze the water quality to evaluate the environmental trophic state, fact responsible by creating conditions that can potentiate the effects of toxic mercury. Concentrations of Hg and MeHg were analyzed in hair samples of 141 volunteers in different age band. Of those, 84.40% of samples present values above the threshold for biological tolerance, which is 6.00 μg g⁻¹ of total Hg in hair. Total Hg, in men there was a variation of 2.07–24.93 μg g⁻¹, while for women the variation was 4.84–27.02 μg g⁻¹. Consequently, the level of MeHg in men presented a variation of 1.49–19.57 μg g⁻¹, with an average of 11.68 μg g⁻¹, while with women the variation was from 3.73 to 22.35 μg g⁻¹, with an average of 10.38 μg g⁻¹. In fish species, Hg concentrations in carnivorous species had an average of 0.66 μg g⁻¹, higher than that permitted by current legislation, ranging from 0.30 to 0.98 μg g⁻¹, while the non-carnivorous species have values below the recommended by the legislation averaging 0.09 μg g⁻¹, ranging between 0.02 and 0.44 μg g⁻¹. For Se in fish, show that among carnivores, the contents of Se ranged between 0.18 and 0.54 μg g⁻¹ with a mean of 0.34 μg g⁻¹, while for non-carnivores these values were of the order of 0.16–0.56 μg g⁻¹, with an average of 0.32 μg g⁻¹. In surface water quality variables at the sampling points all showed values in accordance with the range established by current legislation. In this regard, the results provided by this study, while not conclusive, are strong indicators that despite not having been shown the relationship between the concentration of mercury in hair and feeding habits along the Tapajós River basin communities showed that a plausible correlation exists between levels of mercury and selenium in fish. This fact may serve as a subsidy to research human health, because in the Amazon, there is still a lot to examine with regards to the full understanding of the Se cycle.     

Expression of A Chain and B Chain of β-Bungarotoxin from Taiwan Banded Krait: The Functional Implication of the Interchain Disulfide Bond Between A Chain and B Chain

-Bungarotoxin (-Bgt), the main presynaptic neurotoxin purified from the venom of Bungarus multicinctus, consists of two dissimilar polypeptide chains, the A chain and B chain, cross-linked by an interchain disulfide bond. The A and B chain cDNAs were subcloned into expression vectors pT7-7 and pET20b(+), respectively, and transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3). The expressed protein was isolated from the inclusion bodies of E. coli and subjected to refolding into its folded structure. The yields of the refolded A and B chains increased markedly by at least 100-fold after substituting Ser for Cys15 of A chain and Cys55 of B chain, which formed an interchain disulfide bond. Either the A(C15S) chain or B(C55S) chain alone or in combination cannot exhibit the phospholipase A₂ activity or synaptosome binding activity of -Bgt. Nevertheless, the results of competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay, CD spectra, and fluorescence measurement revealed that the A(C15S) chain and B(C55S) chain possessed a native-like structure like the subunits of native -Bgt. Moreover, the interfacial interaction between the A and B chains explored by glutaraldehyde cross-linking revealed the essential aspects of the intact interchain disulfide bond in this interaction. This suggests that the formation of the interchain disulfide bond should not be a crucial step for the formation of folded A and B chains in the venom glands, and that the integrity of the interchain disulfide linkage favors the subunit interaction that consequently fulfills the functional mechanism of -Bgt.     

Systematic Review of the Empirical Evidence of Study Publication Bias and Outcome Reporting Bias — An Updated Review

Background

The increased use of meta-analysis in systematic reviews of healthcare interventions has highlighted several types of bias that can arise during the completion of a randomised controlled trial. Study publication bias and outcome reporting bias have been recognised as a potential threat to the validity of meta-analysis and can make the readily available evidence unreliable for decision making.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this update, we review and summarise the evidence from cohort studies that have assessed study publication bias or outcome reporting bias in randomised controlled trials. Twenty studies were eligible of which four were newly identified in this update. Only two followed the cohort all the way through from protocol approval to information regarding publication of outcomes. Fifteen of the studies investigated study publication bias and five investigated outcome reporting bias. Three studies have found that statistically significant outcomes had a higher odds of being fully reported compared to non-significant outcomes (range of odds ratios: 2.2 to 4.7). In comparing trial publications to protocols, we found that 40–62% of studies had at least one primary outcome that was changed, introduced, or omitted. We decided not to undertake meta-analysis due to the differences between studies.

Conclusions

This update does not change the conclusions of the review in which 16 studies were included. Direct empirical evidence for the existence of study publication bias and outcome reporting bias is shown. There is strong evidence of an association between significant results and publication; studies that report positive or significant results are more likely to be published and outcomes that are statistically significant have higher odds of being fully reported. Publications have been found to be inconsistent with their protocols. Researchers need to be aware of the problems of both types of bias and efforts should be concentrated on improving the reporting of trials.     

Biodiversity in the floodplain of Saône: a global approach

Biodiversity of European floodplains is seriously threatened mainly due to (1) modifications of river courses such as channelisation or embankments, and (2) changes in traditional agricultural practices (i.e. usually pastures), into intensive production using drainage and fertilisation. A upstream-downstream survey of the Saône floodplain (France) has been done to identify the contribution of habitats to the floodplain biodiversity. Selected taxa were aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, Odonata, Coleoptera, Amphibians, and birds. The taxa were sampled in different habitat types that were: forests, grasslands and aquatic habitats. Tributary confluences with the river and cut-off channels contributed greatly to the floodplain diversity according to their invertebrates and aquatic vegetation communities. The abundance of rare species (benefitting of a national or regional protection status) was the highest in hygrophilous grasslands. Moreover, we demonstrated that diversity of breeding bird communities was correlated with the size of these habitats. We demonstrated also that alluvial forests contributed to maintain some particular species as Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus medius), while new plantations were colonized by openland bird communities sensible to the edge effect. Grassland fragmentation for agriculture appeared to be a major cause in biodiversity loss. Any alteration of the floodplain dynamics must be avoided to preserve the present diversity of riverine wetlands.     

An Analysis of Artificial Reef Fish Community Structure along the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Shelf: Potential Impacts of “Rigs-to-Reefs” Programs

Artificial structures are the dominant complex marine habitat type along the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) shelf. These habitats can consist of a variety of materials, but in this region are primarily comprised of active and reefed oil and gas platforms. Despite being established for several decades, the fish communities inhabiting these structures remain poorly investigated. Between 2012 and 2013 we assessed fish communities at 15 sites using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Fish assemblages were quantified from standing platforms and an array of artificial reef types (Liberty Ships and partially removed or toppled platforms) distributed over the Texas continental shelf. The depth gradient covered by the surveys (30–84 m) and variability in structure density and relief also permitted analyses of the effects of these characteristics on fish richness, diversity, and assemblage composition. ROVs captured a variety of species inhabiting these reefs from large transient piscivores to small herbivorous reef fishes. While structure type and relief were shown to influence species richness and community structure, major trends in species composition were largely explained by the bottom depth where these structures occurred. We observed a shift in fish communities and relatively high diversity at approximately 60 m bottom depth, confirming trends observed in previous studies of standing platforms. This depth was also correlated with some of the largest Red Snapper captured on supplementary vertical longline surveys. Our work indicates that managers of artificial reefing programs (e.g., Rigs-to-Reefs) in the GOM should carefully consider the ambient environmental conditions when designing reef sites. For the Texas continental shelf, reefing materials at a 50–60 m bottom depth can serve a dual purpose of enhancing diving experiences and providing the best potential habitat for relatively large Red Snapper.     

Primary cutaneous melanoma in Black patients: An analysis of 2464 cases from the National Cancer Database 2004–2018

Melanoma in Black patients carries a poor prognosis. Due to its rarity, melanoma in this population has not been well characterized. This study evaluates survival predictors in Black patients with melanoma. This was a retrospective cohort study of Black patients with cutaneous melanoma from the National Cancer Database 2004–2018. Of the 2464 cases, melanoma was more common among females than males (57.1% vs. 42.9%, p < .001). Median Breslow depth was 1.8 mm (interquartile range 0.4–4.4). Lower extremities were the most common location (52.8%), followed by upper extremities (13.1%) along with otherwise specified/overlapping/other (13.1%), then by trunk (11.8%), and lastly head and neck (9.2%). Stage at diagnosis was I (30.7%), II (27.5%), III (24.1%), and IV (17.7%). Ulceration was observed in 41.4% of lesions. Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) was the most common specific histologic subtype (20.3%), followed by superficial spreading melanoma (9.4%). After adjusting for confounders, higher stages and primary site on the head and neck were the strongest independent predictors of worse overall survival. Melanoma in Black patients is most likely to appear on the lower extremities. A large portion (41.8%) presented with stage III or IV disease. ALM was the most common specific histologic subtype.     

Brumptomyia angelae, a new species of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) of the Atlantic forest of the state of Paraná, Brazil

The male of Brumptomyia angelae, sp. nov., a new species of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) of the Atlantic forest of the state of Paraná, Brazil, is described and illustrated. This new taxon is closely related to Brumptomyia ortizi Martins, Silva & Falc?o 1971, Brumptomyia nitzulescui (Costa Lima, 1932), and Brumptomyia troglodytes (Lutz, 1922). The male genitalia of these three latter species have also been drawn.     

Children's Perceptions of Rainforest Biodiversity: Which Animals Have the Lion's Share of Environmental Awareness?

Globally, natural ecosystems are being lost to agricultural land at an unprecedented rate. This land-use often results in significant reductions in abundance and diversity of the flora and fauna as well as alterations in their composition. Despite this, there is little public perception of which taxa are most important in terms of their total biomass, biodiversity or the ecosystem services they perform. Such awareness is important for conservation, as without appreciation of their value and conservation status, species are unlikely to receive adequate conservation protection. We investigated children's perceptions of rainforest biodiversity by asking primary-age children, visiting the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge to draw their ideal rainforest. By recording the frequency at which children drew different climatic, structural, vegetative and faunal components of the rainforest, we were able to quantify children's understanding of a rainforest environment. We investigated children's perceptions of rainforest biodiversity by comparing the relative numbers of the taxa drawn with the actual contributions made by these taxa to total rainforest biomass and global biodiversity. We found that children have a sophisticated view of the rainforest, incorporating many habitat features and a diverse range of animals. However, some taxa were over-represented (particularly mammals, birds and reptiles) and others under-represented (particularly insects and annelids) relative to their contribution to total biomass and species richness. Scientists and naturalists must continue to emphasise the diversity and functional importance of lesser-known taxa through public communication and outdoor events to aid invertebrate conservation and to ensure that future generations are inspired to become naturalists themselves.     

Human Exposure to Mercury Through Fish Consumption: Risk Assessment of Riverside Inhabitants of the Urrá Reservoir,Colombia

This study evaluated the risk to human health from mercury exposure through fish consumption in three riverside populations: Children (CH, 2–15 years old), women of childbearing age (WCHA, 16–49 years old), and the rest of the population (RP) from the Urrá reservoir area, Colombia. Questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data and information about the weekly amount of fish consumed (WAFC) and the relative importance of each fish species in the diet of the study participants. There were no significant differences in WAFC between population groups. CH recorded the highest weekly intake of total Hg (WIT-Hg) (0.6–55.4 μg/kg bodyweight/week), with significant differences (p < .05) from WCHA (0.2–26.7 μg/kg bw/w) and RP (0.1–23.6 μg/kg bw/w). A high percentage (90%) of estimated WIT-Hg values exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established in order to protect the embryo and fetus. Results suggested that sensitive subgroups, such as pregnant women or those who may become pregnant and young children should limit or avoid consumption of certain fish of higher trophic levels due to their high total Hg (T-Hg) concentrations (up to 2.73 μg/g). In sum, the high values of WIT-Hg in children and women of childbearing age revealed a worrying situation, which should be reviewed carefully in order to prevent a potential public health crisis.     

Flagellin genes of Methanococcus vannielii : amplification by the Polymerase Chain Reaction, demonstration of signal peptides and identification of major components of the flagellar filament

The highly conserved nature of the 5′-termini of all archaeal flagellin genes was exploited by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to amplify the sequence of a portion of a flagellin gene family from the archaeon Methanococcus vannielii. Subsequent inverse PCR experiments generated fragments that permitted the sequencing of a total of three flagellin genes, which, by comparison with flagellin genes that have been sequenced, from other archaea appear to be equivalent to flaB1, flaB2, and flaB3 of M. voltae. Analysis of purified M. vannielii flagellar filaments by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed two major flagellins (M_r= 30 800 and 28 600), whose N-terminal sequences identified them as the products of the flaB1 and flaB2 genes, respectively. The gene product of flaB3 could not be detected in flagellar filaments by SDS-PAGE. The protein sequence data, coupled with the DNA sequences, demonstrated that both FlaB1 and FlaB2 flagellins are translated with a 12-amino acid signal peptide which is absent from the mature protein incorporated into the flagellar filament. These data suggest that archaeal flagellin export differs significantly from that of bacterial flagellins.     

Lombards on the Move – An Integrative Study of the Migration Period Cemetery at Szólád,Hungary

In 2005 to 2007 45 skeletons of adults and subadults were excavated at the Lombard period cemetery at Szólád (6^th century A.D.), Hungary. Embedded into the well-recorded historical context, the article presents the results obtained by an integrative investigation including anthropological, molecular genetic and isotopic (δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) analyses. Skeletal stress markers as well as traces of interpersonal violence were found to occur frequently. The mitochondrial DNA profiles revealed a heterogeneous spectrum of lineages that belong to the haplogroups H, U, J, HV, T2, I, and K, which are common in present-day Europe and in the Near East, while N1a and N1b are today quite rare. Evidence of possible direct maternal kinship was identified in only three pairs of individuals. According to enamel strontium isotope ratios, at least 31% of the individuals died at a location other than their birthplace and/or had moved during childhood. Based on the peculiar ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio distribution between females, males, and subadults in comparison to local vegetation and soil samples, we propose a three-phase model of group movement. An initial patrilocal group with narrower male but wider female Sr isotope distribution settled at Szólád, whilst the majority of subadults represented in the cemetery yielded a distinct Sr isotope signature. Owing to the virtual absence of Szólád-born adults in the cemetery, we may conclude that the settlement was abandoned after approx. one generation. Population heterogeneity is furthermore supported by the carbon and nitrogen isotope data. They indicate that a group of high-ranking men had access to larger shares of animal-derived food whilst a few individuals consumed remarkable amounts of millet. The inferred dynamics of the burial community are in agreement with hypotheses of a highly mobile lifestyle during the Migration Period and a short-term occupation of Pannonia by Lombard settlers as conveyed by written sources.     

The C825T Polymorphism of the G-Protein β3 Subunit Gene and Its Association with Hypertension and Stroke: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Objective

Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between the GNB3 C825T polymorphism and hypertension or stroke. The results of these studies were inconsistent; therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to clarify these discrepancies.

Methods

We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and CBM databases, and manually searched reference lists of relevant papers, meeting abstracts, and relevant journals. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for dominant, recessive, and allelic models. A fixed or random effects model was separately adopted depending on study heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to detect study heterogeneity and examine result stability, respectively. Publication bias was tested using funnel plots, the Egger''s regression test, and Begg''s test.

Results

We screened 66 studies regarding hypertension and eight concerning stroke. A combined analysis showed that only the allelic model found a marginal association with hypertension (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01–1.13) and female gender (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.99–1.24). However, no comparison models found an association with stroke (allelic model: OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.94–1.32; dominant model: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.92–1.48; and recessive model: OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.97–1.14). Sensitivity analysis suggested that all models did not yield a relationship to hypertension or stroke among Asians. Besides, there was a lack of statistical association with hypertension in Caucasians, which maybe due to a small sample size. When we restricted the included studies to normal populations according to the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, no association was found.

Conclusions

There was no evidence indicating that the 825T allele or TT genotype was associated with hypertension or stroke in Asians or hypertension in Caucasians. However, further studies regarding Africans and other ethnicities are needed to identify further correlations.