Socioeconomic Status Is Related to Pubertal Development in a German Cohort

Introduction: Current health literature suggests that there has been a decline in the age of pubertal onset and that pubertal onset/duration of puberty may, besides weight status, be influenced by socioeconomic context. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine whether pubertal onset/ duration and puberty-triggering hormones luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) vary according to socioeconomic status (SES). Moreover, we aimed to propose cutoff values of serum LH and FSH for predicting gonadarche in boys. Methods: 2,657 apparently healthy children and adolescents between 5.5 and 18 years from the area of Leipzig were recruited from the LIFE Child study. Age at pubertal onset/end of puberty was given in 738/573 children, respectively. Anthropometric parameters of puberty, blood measurements of LH and FSH, and questionnaires assessing SES were evaluated. Results: Lower SES was associated with earlier thelarche and longer duration of puberty in overweight/obese girls, whereas age of menarche was not affected. In boys with low SES, a trend versus earlier puberty onset can be seen. Lower SES was significantly associated with boys’ age at mutation. No significant differences in boys’ and girls’ serum levels of LH and FSH during puberty according to SES were observed. Serum LH levels of 0.56 IU/L and serum FSH levels of 1.74 IU/L showed the best prediction of gonadarche in boys. Conclusion: Puberty onset/duration and boys’ age at mutation is affected by SES. The proposed cutoff levels for serum LH and FSH could provide a serological tool to determine gonadarche in boy

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Entwicklung einer Systemlösung für die stereospezifische Produktion hydrophober Verbindungen mit immobilisierten Biokatalysatoren in Rührreaktoren: Schlussbericht für den Zeitraum: 01.04.2003 bis 30.03.2005

Im Rahmen des Vorhabens wurde ein funktionales Hydrogel als Immobilisatmatrix entwickelt, das es erstmals ermöglicht, deaktivierte Biokatalysatoren aus- und aktive wieder einzuschleusen. Die Umsetzung des Verfahrens erfolgte im Rührreaktor und sieht eine integrierte Immobilisataufbereitung vor. Dies bedeutet nicht nur eine Vermeidung von Abfall, sondern auch eine Reduktion des Arbeitsaufwandes, da nur noch Flüssigkeiten bewegt werden müssen, während die Hydrogele für mehrere Produktionszyklen im Reaktor verbleiben können. Eine solche innovative Betriebsweise erfordert von den funktionalen Hydrogelen jedoch eine erhebliche mechanische Stabilität, die durch Aufbringen auf einen makroporösen Träger und Einhüllen mit einem Nylongewebe zufrieden stellend erreicht werden kann. Darüber hinaus erfolgte die theoretische Beschreibung der Vorgänge im betrachteten System. Der entwickelte Modellansatz konnte in einen bestehenden verfahrenstechnischen Anlagensimulator integriert und am untersuchten System erfolgreich getestet werden. Er wird zur Evaluierung, Planung und Optimierung herangezogen und unterstützt den Anwender bei der Auswahl, der Beurteilung und Umsetzung der Technik

Grundlegendes Wissen und Können am Ende der Sekundarstufe II: Zentrale Begriffe und Verfahren beherrschen und verstehen

Dieses Papier enthält die Ergebnisse einer vom MNU initiierten und unterstützten Arbeitsgruppe zum Thema "Basiskompetenzen am Ende der Sekundarstufe II" und versteht sich als ein Beitrag zur Diskussion über mathematisches Grundwissen und -können am Übergang von der Schule zur Hochschule

Socioeconomic Status Is Related to Pubertal Development in a German Cohort

Introduction: Current health literature suggests that there has been a decline in the age of pubertal onset and that pubertal onset/duration of puberty may, besides weight status, be influenced by socioeconomic context. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine whether pubertal onset/ duration and puberty-triggering hormones luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) vary according to socioeconomic status (SES). Moreover, we aimed to propose cutoff values of serum LH and FSH for predicting gonadarche in boys. Methods: 2,657 apparently healthy children and adolescents between 5.5 and 18 years from the area of Leipzig were recruited from the LIFE Child study. Age at pubertal onset/end of puberty was given in 738/573 children, respectively. Anthropometric parameters of puberty, blood measurements of LH and FSH, and questionnaires assessing SES were evaluated. Results: Lower SES was associated with earlier thelarche and longer duration of puberty in overweight/obese girls, whereas age of menarche was not affected. In boys with low SES, a trend versus earlier puberty onset can be seen. Lower SES was significantly associated with boys’ age at mutation. No significant differences in boys’ and girls’ serum levels of LH and FSH during puberty according to SES were observed. Serum LH levels of 0.56 IU/L and serum FSH levels of 1.74 IU/L showed the best prediction of gonadarche in boys. Conclusion: Puberty onset/duration and boys’ age at mutation is affected by SES. The proposed cutoff levels for serum LH and FSH could provide a serological tool to determine gonadarche in boy