Don't take the context out of the picture: Contextually shaped parents' and children's obesogenic behaviors in a marginalized area of Mexico City.

Santa Fe Gully zone is a marginalized area of Mexico City where nearly 39% of children live with either overweight or obesity. Despite the extensive research on obesogenic behaviors, studies frequently overlook the contexts where such behaviors occur. This qualitative study described individual and familial obesogenic behaviors among children with obesity from Santa Fe Gully, and explained how these behaviors might be contextually shaped. We used a grounded theory approach to investigate the process of development/maintenance of obesity in our sample. Fifteen participants (seven 10-year-olds with overweight or obesity and their parents) participated in nine art-based focus groups, and parents completed individual semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a structured thematic content analysis. Results showed children's weight status was part of their identity, providing children with a familial 'fitting' sense while increasing psychosocial difficulties, leading to emotional overeating as a coping strategy. Parents' use of controlling and low-structured parenting practices reinforced children's emotional overeating and failed to regulate children's dietary and physical activity behaviors. Some low-structured parenting practices were guilt-motivated or fostered by socioeconomic and cultural factors (e.g., limited food access, unhealthy food exposure, community unsafety). Future interventions in Santa Fe Gully aimed at modifying obesogenic behaviors should incorporate systemic and ecological approaches to help participants navigate through contextual obstacles, as their behaviors should be analized considering the context where they occur.

Migration of photoinitiators, phthalates and plasticizers from paper and cardboard materials into different simulants and foodstuffs.

The migration of photoinitiators, phthalates and plasticizers from two paper and cardboard materials into food simulants (50% and 95% EtOH and Tenax) and foodstuffs (rice, cereals and milk powder) was studied. In the case of liquid simulants migration was observed to reach the equilibrium after 60 min and depended on the material type and the physicochemical parameters of the migrants, whereas the temperature (room temperature and 60 °C) did not show significant effects. The study of migration of the compounds from a baking paper to Tenax at high temperatures (150 and 250 °C) evidenced an increment of migration when increasing temperature, except for the most volatile analytes. Finally, the migration to foodstuffs was studied using fully validated analytical protocols. Overall, the comparison of the migration rates demonstrated that Tenax was adequate for the simulation of the migration to rice and cereals, but underestimated the migration to infant milk powder, for which 95% EtOH resulted a more suitable simulant.

What You Need to Know Before Implementing a Clinical Research Data Warehouse: Comparative Review of Integrated Data Repositories in Health Care Institutions.

BACKGROUND: Integrated data repositories (IDRs), also referred to as clinical data warehouses, are platforms used for the integration of several data sources through specialized analytical tools that facilitate data processing and analysis. IDRs offer several opportunities for clinical data reuse, and the number of institutions implementing an IDR has grown steadily in the past decade. OBJECTIVE: The architectural choices of major IDRs are highly diverse and determining their differences can be overwhelming. This review aims to explore the underlying models and common features of IDRs, provide a high-level overview for those entering the field, and propose a set of guiding principles for small- to medium-sized health institutions embarking on IDR implementation. METHODS: We reviewed manuscripts published in peer-reviewed scientific literature between 2008 and 2020, and selected those that specifically describe IDR architectures. Of 255 shortlisted articles, we found 34 articles describing 29 different architectures. The different IDRs were analyzed for common features and classified according to their data processing and integration solution choices. RESULTS: Despite common trends in the selection of standard terminologies and data models, the IDRs examined showed heterogeneity in the underlying architecture design. We identified 4 common architecture models that use different approaches for data processing and integration. These different approaches were driven by a variety of features such as data sources, whether the IDR was for a single institution or a collaborative project, the intended primary data user, and purpose (research-only or including clinical or operational decision making). CONCLUSIONS: IDR implementations are diverse and complex undertakings, which benefit from being preceded by an evaluation of requirements and definition of scope in the early planning stage. Factors such as data source diversity and intended users of the IDR influence data flow and synchronization, both of which are crucial factors in IDR architecture planning.

Target and suspect screening of substances liable to migrate from food contact paper and cardboard materials using liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

This work describes the analysis of both target and non-target compounds in paper and cardboard materials together with the characterization of their migration to Tenax® by means of liquid chromatography coupled to both low (LC-QqQ) and high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-q-Orbitrap), respectively. To this aim, an entire analytical procedure was fully developed and validated for both matrices: paper/cardboard and Tenax®. A total of 97 chemicals, including photoinitiators, phthalates, biocides, antioxidants, etc., listed by the European Regulation, were found in the materials under study together with other substances not included in this list. Moreover, the majority of annotated substances were present in the simulant, giving evidence of their migration capacity. Migration percentages of 10 photoinitiators, 4 phthalates, bisphenol A, bis-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, acetyltributyl citrate and caprolactam to Tenax® were quantified. Despite not exceeding the established specific migration limit (SML) in any case, benzophenone, 4-phenylbenzophenone and bisphenol A concentrations in some paper and cardboard materials were very close to the SML values established by the EU legislation.

Porfiria aguda intermitente con debut en el puerperio / Acute intermittent porphyria with debut in the puerperium

RESUMEN Objetivo: Las porfirias son trastornos que resultan de un defecto enzimático específico en la vía bioquímica de las porfirias. Los síntomas clínicos incluyen dolor abdominal, alteraciones gastrointestinales y manifestaciones psiquiátricas. Material y métodos: Mujer de 41 años, con diabetes gestacional y parto por cesárea hace 7 días, que acude a urgencias con convulsiones tónicoclónicas. En tratamiento antibiótico por infección de la herida quirúrgica. Los exámenes de laboratorio demostraron hiponatremia, hipokalemia y anemia. El diagnóstico de porfiria aguda intermitente (PAI) fue confirmado por el hallazgo de porfirinas elevadas en orina. La paciente fue dada de alta después de dos semanas. Resultados: se solicita un test rápido de PBG cuantitativo en orina, que resulta positivo (>10 mg PBG / g creatinina), por lo que se solicita un estudio completo de la enfermedad y se envían muestras a un hospital de referencia para análisis bioquímico y genético de PBGD/HMBS (Hidroximetilbilano sintetasa /PBG-desaminasa). Presenta la mutación c.815_818 del AGGA, que se trasmite de forma autosómica dominante, aunque con baja penetrancia. Conclusión: El diagnóstico de PAI es complejo debido al amplio espectro de síntomas, además el embarazo y el puerperio puede exacerbar la enfermedad.

SUMMARY Objective: Porphyrias are a heterogeneous group of either inherited or acquired disorders of the enzymatic biosynthesis of porphyrins. In these diseases, specific abnormalities of enzymes cause diverse clinical manifestations including abdominal pain, gastrointestinal alterations and psychiatric manifestations. Materials and methods: A 41-year-old woman with gestational diabetes and cesarean delivery 7 days ago with intradural anesthesia. She was admitted with tonic clonic seizures and diffuse abdominal pain. She is under antibiotic treatment for infection of the surgical wound. Laboratory exams showed hyponatremia, hypokalemia and anemia. A diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria was confirmed with elevated porphyrinis in urine. Results: a rapid test of quantitative PBG in urine is permormed, which is positive (>10 mg PBG / g creatinin), so a complete study of the disease is requested and samples are sent to a reference hospital for biochemical and genetic analysis of PBGD / HMBS (Hydroxymethylbilane synthetase / PBG-deaminase). It presents the c.815_818 mutation of the AGGA, which is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner, although with low penetrance. Conclusion: The diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria is complex because of the wide spectrum of symptoms. Pregnancy or the puerperium might exacerbate the disease

Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in northern Spain municipal solid waste landfill leachates.

Landfill leachates have been recognized as significant secondary sources of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). This study presents data on the occurrence and concentration of 11 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) and 5 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) in leachates from 4 municipal solid waste landfill sites located across northern Spain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of PFASs in Spanish landfill leachates. Two of the landfill sites applied on-site treatment using membrane bioreactors (MBR), and its effect on PFASs occurrence is also reported. Total PFASs (∑PFASs) in raw leachates reached 1378.9 ng/L, while in treated samples ∑PFASs was approximately two-fold (3162.3 ng/L). PFCAs accounted for the majority of the detected PFASs and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the dominant compound in raw leachates (42.6%), followed by shorter chain PFHxA (30.1%), PFPeA and PFBA. The age of the sites might explain the PFASs pattern found in raw leachates as all of them were stabilized leachates. However, PFASs profile was different in treated samples where the most abundant compound was PFHxA (26.5%), followed by linear perfluorobutane sulfonate (L-PFBS) (18.7%) and PFOA (17.7%). The overall increase of the PFASs content as well as the change in the PFASs profile after the MBR treatment, could be explained by the possible degradation of PFASs precursors such as fluorotelomer alcohols or fluorotelomer sulfonates. Using the volume of leachates generated in the landfill sites, that served 1.8 million people, the discharge of 16 ∑PFASs contained in the landfill leachates was estimated as 1209 g/year.

Splicing regulator SLU7 preserves survival of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and other solid tumors via oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster expression.

Resisting death is a central hallmark of cancer cells. Tumors rely on a number of genetic mechanisms to avoid apoptosis, and alterations in mRNA alternative splicing are increasingly recognized to have a role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we identify the splicing regulator SLU7 as an essential factor for the preservation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells viability. Compared with hepatocytes, SLU7 expression is reduced in HCC cells; however, further SLU7 depletion triggered autophagy-related cellular apoptosis in association with the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Remarkably, these responses were not observed in primary human hepatocytes or in the well-differentiated HepaRG cell line. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that SLU7 binds the C13orf25 primary transcript in which the polycistronic oncomir miR-17-92 cluster is encompassed, and is necessary for its processing and expression. SLU7 knockdown altered the splicing of the C13orf25 primary transcript, and markedly reduced the expression of its miR-17, miR-20 and miR-92a constituents. This led to the upregulation of CDKN1A (P21) and BCL2L11 (BIM) expression, two bona fide targets of the miR-17-92 cluster and recognized mediators of its pro-survival and tumorigenic activity. Interestingly, altered splicing of miR-17-92 and downregulation of miR-17 and miR-20 were not observed upon SLU7 knockdown in non-transformed hepatocytes, but was found in other (HeLa, H358) but not in all (Caco2) non-hepatic tumor cells. The functional relevance of miR-17-92 dysregulation upon SLU7 knockdown was established when oxidative stress, autophagy and apoptosis were reversed by co-transfection of HCC cells with a miR-17 mimic. Together, these findings indicate that SLU7 is co-opted by HCC cells and other tumor cell types to maintain survival, and identify this splicing regulator as a new determinant for the expression of the oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster. This novel mechanism may be exploited for the development of antitumoral strategies in cancers displaying such SLU7-miR-17-92 crosstalk.

Heterogeneous micromechanical properties of the extracellular matrix in healthy and infarcted hearts.

Infarcted hearts are macroscopically stiffer than healthy organs. Nevertheless, although cell behavior is mediated by the physical features of the cell niche, the intrinsic micromechanical properties of healthy and infarcted heart extracellular matrix (ECM) remain poorly characterized. Using atomic force microscopy, we studied ECM micromechanics of different histological regions of the left ventricle wall of healthy and infarcted mice. Hearts excised from healthy (n=8) and infarcted mice (n=8) were decellularized with sodium dodecyl sulfate and cut into 12 µm thick slices. Healthy ventricular ECM revealed marked mechanical heterogeneity across histological regions of the ventricular wall with the effective Young's modulus ranging from 30.2 ± 2.8 to 74.5 ± 8.7 kPa in collagen- and elastin-rich regions of the myocardium, respectively. Infarcted ECM showed a predominant collagen composition and was 3-fold stiffer than collagen-rich regions of the healthy myocardium. ECM of both healthy and infarcted hearts exhibited a solid-like viscoelastic behavior that conforms to two power-law rheology. Knowledge of intrinsic micromechanical properties of the ECM at the length scale at which cells sense their environment will provide further insight into the cell-scaffold interplay in healthy and infarcted hearts.

Crack propagation and fracture in silicon wafers under thermal stress.

The behaviour of microcracks in silicon during thermal annealing has been studied using in situ X-ray diffraction imaging. Initial cracks are produced with an indenter at the edge of a conventional Si wafer, which was heated under temperature gradients to produce thermal stress. At temperatures where Si is still in the brittle regime, the strain may accumulate if a microcrack is pinned. If a critical value is exceeded either a new or a longer crack will be formed, which results with high probability in wafer breakage. The strain reduces most efficiently by forming (hhl) or (hkl) crack planes of high energy instead of the expected low-energy cleavage planes like {111}. Dangerous cracks, which become active during heat treatment and may shatter the whole wafer, can be identified from diffraction images simply by measuring the geometrical dimensions of the strain-related contrast around the crack tip. Once the plastic regime at higher temperature is reached, strain is reduced by generating dislocation loops and slip bands and no wafer breakage occurs. There is only a small temperature window within which crack propagation is possible during rapid annealing.

Molecular diagnosis of African Swine Fever by a new real-time PCR using universal probe library.

A highly sensitive and specific real-time PCR method was developed for the reliable and rapid detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV). The method uses a commercial Universal Probe Library (UPL) probe combined with a specifically designed primer set to amplify an ASFV DNA fragment within the VP72 coding genome region. The detection range of the optimized UPL PCR technique was confirmed by analysis of a large panel (n = 46) of ASFV isolates, belonging to 19 of the 22 viral p72 genotypes described. No amplification signal was observed when closely clinically related viruses, such as classical swine fever, or other porcine pathogens were tested by this assay. The detection limit of the UPL PCR method was established below 18 DNA copies. Validation experiments using an extensive collection of field porcine and tick samples (n = 260), coming from Eastern and Western African regions affected by ASF, demonstrated that the UPL PCR technique was able to detect over 10% more positive samples than the real-time TaqMan PCR test recommended in the OIE manual, confirming its superior diagnostic sensitivity. Clinical material collected during experimental infections with different ASFV p72 genotypes was useful for assuring both the capacity of the UPL PCR for an early viral DNA detection and the competence of the technique to be applied in any ASF diagnostic target sample. The reliability and robustness of the UPL PCR was finally verified with a panel of ASFV-infected clinical samples which was repeatedly tested at different times. Additionally, an internal control PCR assay was also developed and standardized using UPL probes within the endogenous ß-actin gene. Finally, the complete study offers a new validated real-time PCR technique, by means of a standardized commercial probe, providing a simple, rapid and affordable test, which is ready for application in the routine diagnosis of ASF.

Rapid coupling between ice volume and polar temperature over the past 150,000 years.

Current global warming necessitates a detailed understanding of the relationships between climate and global ice volume. Highly resolved and continuous sea-level records are essential for quantifying ice-volume changes. However, an unbiased study of the timing of past ice-volume changes, relative to polar climate change, has so far been impossible because available sea-level records either were dated by using orbital tuning or ice-core timescales, or were discontinuous in time. Here we present an independent dating of a continuous, high-resolution sea-level record in millennial-scale detail throughout the past 150,000 years. We find that the timing of ice-volume fluctuations agrees well with that of variations in Antarctic climate and especially Greenland climate. Amplitudes of ice-volume fluctuations more closely match Antarctic (rather than Greenland) climate changes. Polar climate and ice-volume changes, and their rates of change, are found to covary within centennial response times. Finally, rates of sea-level rise reached at least 1.2 m per century during all major episodes of ice-volume reduction.

Una propuesta educativa en enfermería transcultural: el caso de la cultura menonita / Transcultural nursing educational proposal: the case of mennonite culture

La necesidad de afrontar las barreras culturales, primeramente de lenguaje, el cual se entiende como sistema de comunicación que nos permite expresar conceptos entre los usuarios de la cultura menonita y los estudiantes del programa de la licenciatura en enfermería de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Unidad Multidisciplinaria en Cuauhtémoc, nos lleva a una propuesta educativa del cuidado enfermero. El objetivo es introducir al estudiante como futuro prestador del cuidado humano a la cultura menonita, asentada en la región desde 1922 y cuya lengua materna es el alemán bajo, con tradiciones y costumbres respecto a la salud muy arraigadas. Según datos del Hospital General Javier Ramírez, Topete de la ciudad de Cuauhtémoc, actualmente el porcentaje de menonitas que acuden a los servicios de salud se estima en un 73% del total de la población de la etnia, por lo cual se hace necesaria la interacción enfermera-paciente para una comprensión significativa de la situación sanitaria de la población primaria a través del lenguaje. Se toma como eje la teoría de la Diversidad y Universalidad de los Cuidados Culturales de Madeleine Leininger, cuyo propósito es que la enfermería trascienda la interculturalidad hacia la práctica, utilizando los conceptos antropológicos y médicos, aplicados en un diccionario de salud de la cultura de los menonitas, para establecer la relación humana, la comunicación y la comprensión de significados de salud para avanzar hacia la enfermería transcultural. Se asume que la existencia del cuidado cultural en el sistema de salud, fortalece el papel del enfermero(a) en la práctica asistencial. De ahí la importancia de esta propuesta educativa.

The need of trespassing the cultural barriers, in the first place that of the language, understanding language as a communication system that allows to express concepts, between the users of the Mennonite culture and the nursing degree students, of the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Unidad Multidisciplinaria en Cuauhtémoc City, leads us to an educational purpose in the nurse care. Our aim is to introduce the student as a future provider of human care, to the Mennonite culture, that lives in the region since 1922. Their language is the low german. They have very strong health traditions and uses . The General Hospital Javier Ramirez Topete of Cuauhtémoc City has given us the data that almost the 73% of the Mennonite population use the Mexican community health services. That is why it is very necessary the interaction through the language. We are taking as a base the Diversity and Universality theory of the Cultural Care of Madeleine Leninger, whose purpose is that the nursing care goes beyond the interculturality , using the medical anthropological concepts applied in a health dictionary of the Mennonite culture, to the human relationship, the communication and the comprehension of health meanings an so arrive to the cross-cultural nursery . We assume that the existence of the cultural care in the health system strengthens the nurse role in the assistential practices. That is why this educational purpose is so important.

Determination of 5-dodecylsalicylaldoxime and 5-nonylsalicylaldoxime in commercial extractants by high-performance liquid chromatography with photometric detection.

A liquid chromatographic method with photometric detection was developed and validated for the determination of 5-dodecylsalicylaldoxime in the industrial extractants LIX 622 and LIX 860 and 5-nonylsalicylaldoxime in LIX 622N, Acorga PT5050 and Acorga P5100. The limit of detection was 2.18 microg/ml for 5-dodecylsalicylaldoxime and 2.06 microg/ml for 5-nonylsalicylaldoxime. Good linear relations between the areas and the concentration of the standard injected were found in the range of 5-100 microg/ml and reproducibility studies yielded relative standard deviations lower than 6.12% in all the cases.

Increased expression of eNOS protein in omental versus subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese human subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of eNOS and iNOS mRNA and protein in adipose tissue from subcutaneous (s.c.) and omental adipose tissue of obese subjects. DESIGN: Subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue was obtained from subjects undergoing weight reduction surgery. Messenger RNA and protein levels were measured in tissue extracts and related to basal lipolysis, which was measured in isolated adipocytes from the same subjects. SUBJECTS: Eight overweight but otherwise healthy male subjects (age 43.4+/-10.3 y, BMI 39+/-3.5 kg/m(2), mean+/-s.e.m.). MEASUREMENTS: For mRNA detection a competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method was used while protein was detected by Western blot. Glycerol release was determined in isolated adipocytes using a standard luminometric assay. RESULTS: Tissue mRNA levels for eNOS in s.c. tissue were 6098+/-1969 amol/mg RNA and in omental tissue 6987+/-2914 amol/mg RNA (mean+/-s.e.m., P=0.75). iNOS mRNA levels were substantially lower; in s.c. tissue 227+/-127 amol/mg RNA and in omental tissue 245+/-162 amol/mg RNA (P=0.8). In Western blot, eNOS protein levels in s.c. and omental tissue were 1.88+/-2.0 and 7.47+/-4.11 (OD/mm(2) 100 microg total protein, P=0.0063), respectively. iNOS protein was expressed at significantly lower levels and barely detectable in both s.c. and omental tissue. Basal rate of lipolysis was two times higher in s.c. compared to omental fat cells (P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: eNOS protein is markedly increased in omental compared to s.c. adipose tissue in human obese subjects, probably due to post-transcriptional mechanisms. Since basal lipolysis is much lower in omental vs s.c. adipose tissue it is possible that regionally increased NO production, primarily by eNOS, may be involved in the site difference of basal lipolysis in obese subjects.

Expression of nitric oxide synthases in subcutaneous adipose tissue of nonobese and obese humans.

Studies have shown evidence of production of nitric oxide (NO) in adipose tissue, as well as inhibition of lipolysis by NO. We have analyzed nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue from 13 nonobese and 18 obese male subjects. Using a competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method, endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS), but not neuronal (nNOS), nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression was detected in isolated fat cells and pieces of adipose tissue. Tissue mRNA levels for eNOS were 3,814 +/- 825 and 5,956 +/- 476 amol/mg RNA (P = 0.043), and for iNOS 306 +/- 38 and 332 +/- 48 amol/mg RNA, for nonobese and obese individuals, respectively. Western blotting revealed similar eNOS protein levels in isolated fat cells and adipose tissue pieces. Protein levels for eNOS in nonobese and obese individuals, respectively, were (in optical density [OD] units per mm(2) per 100 microgram of total protein) 0.11 +/- 0.08 and 2.80 +/- 1.30 (P = 0.043). iNOS protein was detectable, but not measurable, at low levels in a subset of obese patients (3 of 10). iNOS protein levels could not be detected in nonobese individuals. Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), the key regulating enzyme in lipolysis, is reduced in obesity. The expression of HSL protein in subcutaneous adipose tissue was studied in the same subset of patients; in agreement with previous results, HSL levels were reduced in obese subjects: 4.64 +/- 1.10 and 1.27 +/- 0.35 (P = 0.012) in nonobese and obese subjects, respectively. In conclusion, this study shows that eNOS and iNOS, but not nNOS, are present in human subcutaneous adipose tissue. Gene expression and protein levels of eNOS are increased, whereas HSL protein levels are decreased in obesity. It is speculated that increased NO production, preferably by eNOS, and decreased HSL levels may cause decreased subcutaneous adipose tissue lipolysis in obesity. synthases in subcutaneous adipose tissue of nonobese and obese humans.

Perinatal asphyxia induces region-specific long-term changes in mRNA levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors in rat brain.

To study the effects of neonatal asphyxia on gene expression of the dopaminergic systems, we determined quantitatively the mRNA levels of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine transporter, dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors in substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, striatum and limbic area. The mRNA levels were determined at one and 4 weeks after asphyxia by a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Spontaneously and Caesarean section born rats showed similar mRNA levels with the exception of an increase of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA levels in the limbic area of 4-week-old animals. Five min of asphyxia did not change the mRNA levels in any region compared to that in the spontaneously born rats. Fifteen and twenty min of asphyxia induced region-specific alterations in mRNA levels. In SN/VTA an increase of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA levels in the 1-week-old rats and in striatum an increase of D(1) and D(2) dopamine receptor mRNA levels in the 4-week-old rats were observed. Fifteen min of asphyxia induced a selective increase of D(1) and D(2) dopamine receptor mRNA levels in the limbic area of 4-week-old rats. These observations indicate that neonatal asphyxia triggers a cascade of gene expressions for tyrosine hydroxylase and D(1) and D(2) dopamine receptors. In 1-week-old rats, the gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase increased in the cell body region substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. This change may increase the D(1) and D(2) dopamine receptor expression in the target regions striatum and limbic area during further development.

The association of human adipose angiotensinogen gene expression with abdominal fat distribution in obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in obese subjects the relationship between angiotensinogen gene expression in the abdominal omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue on the one hand and body fat distribution as measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) on the other hand and to compare angiotensinogen gene expression between the two adipose tissue regions. SUBJECTS: Twenty obese subjects undergoing weight reduction surgery with adjustable gastric banding (12 men, eight women; WHR 0.89-1.09; body mass index (BMI) 29-51 kg/m2, age 26-54 y). MEASUREMENTS: Omental and subcutaneous adipose angiotensinogen mRNA and 18S ribosomal RNA (reference gene) levels were measured by competitive quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Angiotensinogen mRNA levels were one-third higher in the omental than in the subcutaneous adipose tissue region (P=0.02). The 18S rRNA levels did not differ significantly between the two adipose tissue regions. WHR correlated positively and significantly with angiotensinogen mRNA in both the subcutaneous and the omental adipose tissue (r=0.5). This relationship was independent of age and BMI. However, WHR did not correlate with 18S rRNA in any of the adipose tissue regions. CONCLUSION: The angiotensinogen gene in adipose tissue might be involved in the development of upper-body obesity.