Measuring abdominal adipose tissue: comparison of simpler methods with MRI.

Objective: This cross-sectional study compares the relationship of visceral and total abdominal adipose tissue (VAT and TAAT) measurements obtained with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a range of 'simpler' techniques suitable for field or bedside use: BMI, waist circumference (WC), bioelectrical impedance (BIA) devices and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Method: 120 participants were recruited, stratified by gender and BMI (20 men and 20 women within each group: lean, overweight and obese). Measurements included height, weight, WC (at midpoint), DXA L2-L4 fat, and BIA (two whole-body and one abdominal device).

Mutations in the selenocysteine insertion sequence-binding protein 2 gene lead to a multisystem selenoprotein deficiency disorder in humans.

Selenium, a trace element that is fundamental to human health, is incorporated into some proteins as selenocysteine (Sec), generating a family of selenoproteins. Sec incorporation is mediated by a multiprotein complex that includes Sec insertion sequence-binding protein 2 (SECISBP2; also known as SBP2). Here, we describe subjects with compound heterozygous defects in the SECISBP2 gene.

Validity of a new abdominal bioelectrical impedance device to measure abdominal and visceral fat: comparison with MRI.

Abdominal fat, and in particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is the critical fat depot associated with metabolic aberrations. At present, VAT can only be accurately measured by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study was designed to compare a new abdominal bioelectrical impedance (BIA) device against total abdominal adipose tissue (TAAT) and VAT area measurements made from an abdominal MRI scan, and to assess its reliability and accuracy.

Aortic calcification is associated with aortic stiffness and isolated systolic hypertension in healthy individuals.

Arterial stiffening is an independent predictor of mortality and underlies the development of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). A number of factors regulate stiffness, but arterial calcification is also likely to be important. We tested the hypotheses that aortic calcification is associated with aortic stiffness in healthy individuals and that patients with ISH exhibit exaggerated aortic calcification compared with controls.

Interobserver variability in the measurement of abdominal aortic calcification using unenhanced CT.

Arterial calcification is well recognized as being associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Numerous methods for its quantification have been published, with no consensus on the technique used. In order to assess the reproducibility of a novel technique for quantifying aortic calcification, we measured the interobserver variability between two observers analysing the abdominal aortas of 34 volunteer patients.

Circulating levels of MCP-1 and eotaxin are not associated with presence of atherosclerosis or previous myocardial infarction.

The chemokines are a family of signalling proteins that participate in regulation of the immune system and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Deleting the gene encoding the chemokine MCP-1 in mouse models of atherosclerosis reduces lipid lesion formation and circulating chemokines are upregulated in man immediately following myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary angioplasty. We have therefore investigated whether circulating levels of two chemokines (MCP-1 and eotaxin) differ between subjects with and without atherosclerosis.

A microtitre format assay for proline in human serum or plasma.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that low serum proline concentration may be associated with low bone mineral density. However, further investigation of this association has been hampered by the lack of a relatively high throughput assay for proline in biological fluids. Here we report a sensitive and specific microtitre plate format assay for proline which exploits the chemical interaction between proline and isatin.