Is there a Role for the ob Gene Product Leptin in Essential Hypertension?

In this study we wanted to evaluate the relationship between the ob gene product leptin and blood pressure, as well as plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels. We studied 139 subjects with a mean ± SD age of 50 ± 14 years and a body mass index of 26.5 ± 5.3 kg/m2; 110 subjects had essential hypertension and 29 were healthy nonhypertensive controls. Blood pressure was measured in resting conditions in the morning and blood was drawn for the determination of the plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and leptin levels. The mean blood pressure of the population was 155/97 mm Hg. The relationship between these parameters was studied by univariate regression analysis according to gender and, whenever indicated, adjusted for age and body mass. The mean ± SEM plasma leptin level in the whole population was 9.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL (range, 1.1-43.3). Subjects with stage I hypertension had significantly higher plasma leptin levels than normotensive subjects. Systolic blood pressure correlated with the plasma leptin levels and the leptin levels adjusted for body weight in women (r = 0.422, P < .01) and nonhypertensive men (r = 0.644, P = .03) only. Plasma renin activity (r = 0.329, P = .03) and aldosterone levels (r = 0.342, P = .026) correlated with the leptin concentration. A significant relationship between the peripheral expression of the ob gene product leptin and systolic blood pressure was found in women and nonhypertensive men. In view of the multiple functions of leptin a causal relationship is postulated and potential mechanisms may involve modulatory effects of leptin on neuropeptide Y, angiotensinogen gene expression, the modulation of the autonomous nervous system, or effects on the pituitary adrenal axis. Direct relationships between both plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels and leptin support the potential importance of the relationship between leptin and blood pressure. Our observation may be of future importance for the understanding of the link between the increase in blood pressure and increasing body weigh

A clinical comparison of the rate of maxillary canine retraction into healed and recent extraction sites—a pilot study

The rate of movement of the maxillary canines into the healed or recent extraction alveolus of the first premolar was measured in 22 patients aged 10-27 years. On one side of the dental arch, the first premolar was extracted. After a median time of 86 days, the contralateral first premolar was extracted and the distalization of both canines started using Gjessing canine retraction springs. The experiment was ended when one of the two canines had been sufficiently distalized. Recordings of the positions of the canines at the beginning of the study, at the start of the distalization and at the end were made from dental casts and standardized intraoral radiographs. The canine on the recent extraction side moved faster than that on the healed side, but also tipped somewhat more. The reasons for the increased tipping and the faster movement are discusse

The Carbon Balance of Two Contrasting Mountain Forest Ecosystems in Switzerland: Similar Annual Trends, but Seasonal Differences

Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of two contrasting mountain forest types in Switzerland was measured by eddy covariance (EC) measurements at a montane mixed forest, the Lägeren forest, over 5 years (2005-2009), and at a subalpine coniferous forest, the Seehornwald in Davos, over 12years (1997-2009). NEE was validated against annual carbon (C) storage estimates, based on biometric and soil respiration measurements as well as soil C modeling. Three different approaches were used: (1) calculation of net ecosystem production by quantifying C pools and fluxes, (2) assessment of change in wood biomass and soil C storage (ΔC), and (3) application of biomass expansion factors. Although biometric estimates were sensitive to assumptions made for each method applied, they agreed well with measured NEE. Comparing 5years of EC measurements available at both sites during 2005 and 2009 revealed that NEE, gross primary production (GPP), and total ecosystem respiration (TER) were larger at the Lägeren forest compared to the Davos forest, whereas soil respiration and soil C sequestration were of similar magnitudes. Both sites showed similar annual trends for NEE, GPP and TER, but different seasonal courses, due to different responses to environmental conditions (temperature, soil moisture, and radiation). Differences in the magnitude as well as in the seasonality of ecosystem CO2 exchange could mainly be attributed to tree phenology, productivity, and carbon allocation patterns, which are combined effects of tree type (broad-leaved vs. coniferous trees) and site-specific climatic conditions. Flux differences between the two mountain sites highlight the importance of considering the role of altitude in ecological studies and modelin

The effect of a maxillary lip bumper on tooth positions

The effect of the use of a lip bumper with anterior vestibular shields on the maxilla was studied in twenty-two 9-14 year-old children with a space deficiency in the maxillary dental arch. The lip bumper was used for 1 year. The effect of the treatment was evaluated from dental casts and profile cephalograms made before and after treatment. Both the width of the maxillary dental arch at the premolars and the length of the arch increased significantly by about 2 mm. The effect of the treatment on the antero-posterior position of the first molars was small. In one subject the molar was distalized 2.8 mm. The average effect was, however, a reduction in the anterior movement of the molar within the face by about 0.5 mm, i.e. the maxilla moved anteriorly 1 mm, but the molar only 0.4 mm. No skeletal effects were found when the group of subjects treated with a lip bumper was compared with a reference sample of untreated individuals. The main effects of a maxillary lip bumper thus seem to be a widening of the dental arch across the premolars, a moderate increase in arch length due to eruption and slight proclination of the incisors, and moderate distal tipping of the first molars

Características tintóreas de las fibras acrílicas: sus repercusiones en el proceso de tintura.

Estudio sobre la igualación en fibras acrílicas que puede obtenerse si se llega a encontrar una función incluyendo magnitudes cinéticas, del mecanismo de adsorción y la concentración de colorantes empleado

Patterns and mechanisms of transpiration in a large subalpine Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.)

In situ water relations of a large subalpine Norway spruce (Picea abies) were analyzed by simultaneous measurements of sap flow at different crown positions. In the diurnal scale, transpiration varied greatly, both spatially and temporally. Over longer periods, however, different parts of the crown transpired in fairly constant proportions. The average estimated transpiration was about 3.5 times greater in the upper than in the lower half and decreased 1.6-fold from south to north. Water intercepted from rain, fog and dew buffered and significantly decreased the transpiration. The effect was strongest in those parts which were least coupled to the free atmosphere. The top of the crown seemed to experience a regular shortage of water shortly after starting transpiration, when it was forced to switch from internal reserves to sources in the soil. Further, lower branches then started transpiring, which may have led them to compete for the water. An enhanced nocturnal sap flow during warm and dry winds (Foehn) indicated that the tree also transpired at night. Shaded twigs had more capacity to intercept water externally than twigs in the sun. The significance of the crown structure for interaction with water in both liquid and vapour phases is discusse