Gender dimorphism of body mass perception and regulation in mice.

According to the set-point theory of body mass, changes in body mass are perceived by the body, leading to activation of compensatory feedback mechanisms, which in turn restores the set-point body mass. However, this theory is still under debate. To test if mass per se might be sensed and regulated, we implanted loads corresponding to 10% (HI) or 2% (LO, control) of body mass into mice in addition to sham-operated mice (SO).

Use of genetically manipulated Salmonella typhimurium strains to evaluate the role of sulfotransferases and acetyltransferases in nitrofen mutagenicity.

Nitrofen had been used as a herbicide, until its carcinogenic and teratogenic activity in rodents was detected. A food contamination occurring in 2002 in Germany led to the initiation of new studies in order to better understand the potential risk for humans. Nitrofen is a nitroarene and as such might be activated to a mutagen via reduction to the corresponding hydroxylamine and subsequent formation of a reactive acetic or sulfuric acid ester.