Scale size was determined by scanning electron microscopy To tes

Scale size was determined by scanning electron microscopy. To test the hypothesis that scales were a haven for Fusarium, leaves were inoculated with conidia. Detached leaves were disinfected with 1.5% hypochlorite and rinsed with distilled water. Leaves were inoculated at about 2 cm from the leaf base, within the non-chlorophylled potion, with 100 μl of the fungal suspension (105 conidia ml−1) of F. guttiforme (E-203; NRRL25624). Fungus was derived from single conidia from the INCAPER Plant Pathology Laboratory, according to Ventura (1994). Leaves inoculated with sterile

distilled water were used as control. A paradermic section of 1 cm2 was obtained from the abaxial face 24 h post-inoculation (hpi). These portions were cut and suspended in saline (0.9%), Ivacaftor research buy vortexed, diluted in saline and plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA

– Oxoid Unipath Ltda, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK) to determine the number of colony forming units (CFU/cm2) of F. guttiforme. To confirm the identity of the colonies, slides were prepared from representative colonies, stained with lactophenol–cotton blue (0.1%) and observed under light microscopy. To observe surface germination of conidia, leaves were disinfected and rinsed as above. The leaf surface E7080 mouse was injured by use of a histological pin and immediately inoculated with conidia (105 conidia ml−1). After 24 hpi, leaf samples were free-hand cut in transverse sections and the sections were stained for 1–2 min., using lactophenol–cotton blue

(0.1%) for analyses of fungal hyphae in the scales. Statistical analysis was performed using completely randomized blocks with 5 repetitions. Each repetition was the means of 3 different leaves. Means were compared mafosfamide using Tukey’s tests with significance set at P < 0.05. Previous observation under field conditions showed absence of any fusariosis symptoms on cv. Vitoria, whilst the cv. Smooth Cayenne presented intermediate severity of the disease and cv. Perola extreme severity of fusariosis symptoms (Ventura and Zambolim, 2002). The anatomy of the pineapple leaf has already been described for ‘Smooth Cayenne’ by Krauss (1949). Our observations of the cultivars Vitoria and Perola found identical structures in each case. Scales were found on the surface of the unstratified epidermis of the hypostomatic leaf (Fig. 1A). Scales are peltate formed by a stalk inserted in the epidermis with a disk form head of shield-like (scutiform) structure (Fig. 1B–E). In frontal view the young scales present a group of central isodiametic cells, surrounded by a series of elongated cells. All these aggregated cells form a symmetrical shield (Fig. 1B). In mature scales, cells in the central region become less evident, the shield increases in size and becomes more asymmetric (405 μm of length ± 72), with a region formed of elongated cells (Fig. 1C and D).

39 It is not hard to imagine that,

with the shear enormit

39 It is not hard to imagine that,

with the shear enormity of such an exposure and possibility of unintentional (or intentional) discharge of these weapons, arming individuals in schools will actually have the unintended consequence of increasing risk to our children. One premise for arming individuals in our schools is that it will act as a deterrent. Such might be the case if the felonious use of a firearm in a school was a rational event. It is not. Another potential unintended consequence Selleck ABT 888 of ensuring an armed presence in our schools is the “up arming” of a potential shooter at a school to match or exceed the weapons perceived to exist in the target school. Such a possibility would increase the likelihood of additional casualties. The practice of arming teachers in the schools might also place these well-meaning educators in the way of perpetrators who have the advantage of planning. Not 1 of the 62 mass shootings in the last 30 years was stopped by an armed civilian.40In the absence of data supporting the salutary benefits of armed personnel in schools, APSA does NOT support a standard practice of arming teachers, parents, or other officials in the school setting. A meaningful reduction in the burden of firearms injury and death in the pediatric population will not happen with a single action

nor will it happen quickly. But, the lack of a “magic bullet” is not selleckchem a reason to abandon common-sense efforts to limit the access and exposure to firearms

for children. The systematic and dramatic reduction in motor-vehicle–related injuries and death in both the adult and pediatric populations should serve as a model for success. Through modifications in the environment (roads), adoption of safety measures (seatbelts), modification of behavior (use of seatbelts), and modifications of vehicle design (eg, airbags)—a public health approach—change was realized. Former Congressman Jay Dickey, who helped author the bill restricting federal funding for firearms research, recently commented “…like motor vehicle injuries, violence exists in a cause-and-effect Anidulafungin (LY303366) world; things happen for predictable reasons. By studying the causes of a tragic—but not senseless—event, we can help prevent another.”41 With more than 300,000,000 guns in circulation in the United States, we as an Association and we as a nation need to develop ways to live safely in a world with guns. There are no guarantees that these measures would have prevented the tragedy at Sandy Hook, or the next Sandy Hook. But, what if they did? APSA believes that inaction is irrational and indefensible. This organization strongly supports the continuation of legislative, public health and policy recommendations detailed here in an effort to reduce the impact of gun violence on our children and youth.

The organization of the digestion here described is the same as f

The organization of the digestion here described is the same as found for other hemipterans such as the seed sucker, D. peruvianus ( Silva and Terra, 1994) and a blood feeder, Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) ( Ferreira et al., 1988 and Terra and Ferreira, 2012). Quantitative comparisons between salivary and midgut enzymes that include

collagenase assays should be carried out in other predatory bugs. This will permit the evaluation as to whether true pre-oral digestion is actually as common as it is supposed to be or if it is usually only a pre-oral dispersion of prey tissues, as described here. This work was supported by the Brazilian research agencies FAPESP, CNPq, CAPES and FAPEMIG. We thank Dr. C. Ferreira for helpful discussions and W. Caldeira, M.V. Cruz and the Nucleus of Microscopy and Microanalysis-UFV for technical assistance. M.C.Q. Fialho is a research selleck fellow of CAPES, N.R. Moreira is a graduate fellow of FAPESP, W.R. Terra is a staff member of his department, research fellow of CNPq and a member of the INCT-Entomologia Molecular, J.C. Zanuncio and J.E. Serrão are staff members

of their departments and research fellows of CNPq. “
“Males of many species can respond to the likely threat of post-mating competition (Parker et al., 1996 and Parker et al., 1997) by altering their behaviour prior to mating (Bretman et al., 2011a) and/or the amount of sperm or seminal fluid proteins allocated to

each partner selleck chemicals llc (Wedell et al., 2002 and Wigby et al., 2009). For males to accurately and adaptively match the expression of a trait to their competitive environment they must be able to significantly influence the expression Liothyronine Sodium of that trait. For apparently male-limited traits such as sperm and seminal fluid production, the degree of control of sex-specific expression should be high. However, this may not be the case for ‘shared’ reproductive traits, such as mating duration, that arise as an emergent property of the interaction between males and females (Arnqvist and Rowe, 2005). Intuitively, the value of shared traits should be influenced by both sexes. However, this need not be true if one sex has evolved predominant control or precise mechanisms for matching the value of the trait to the environment. Determining the relative influence of each sex over shared traits that can exhibit plasticity to the social and sexual environment is important to understand the repertoire of plastic responses that are available to each sex. In order to test whether there is sex specific control of a plastic shared trait we require a system in which the shared trait can be expressed, but where one sex is rendered incapable of exerting any influence over it. In this study we were able to achieve this by adapting methodology from classic studies of courtship in Drosophila melanogaster ( Cook and Cook, 1975, Grossfield, 1972 and Spieth, 1966).


“Current Opinion in Genetics & Development 2013, 23:53–62


“Current Opinion in Genetics & Development 2013, 23:53–62 This review comes from a themed issue on Cancer genomics Edited by Nahum Sonenberg and Nissim Hay For a complete overview see the Issue and the Editorial Available online 11th Jan 2013 0959-437X/$ – see front matter, © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gde.2012.12.005

Gefitinib Target of rapamycin (TOR) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase that regulates cell growth, aging and metabolism, from yeast to human [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5]. TOR is found in two structurally and functionally distinct complexes termed TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and TORC2 (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The immunosuppressive macrolide rapamycin inhibits TORC1 activity. In metazoans, TORC1 controls growth-related processes such as ribosome biogenesis, protein synthesis, transcription, nutrient uptake and autophagy in response to nutrients, growth factors, and cellular energy status. The best-characterized substrates of TORC1 are 4E-BP and S6K via which mammalian TORC1 (mTORC1) controls protein synthesis. The core components of mTORC1 are mTOR, raptor and mLST8. mTORC2 is activated

by growth factors alone, via PI3K-dependent ribosome association [6•• and 7••]. The commonly described substrates of TORC2 are AGC kinase family members such as Akt, SGK, and PKCα in mammals [8]. The core components of mTORC2 are mTOR, rictor, mSIN1 and mLST8. mTOR plays a particularly important role in metabolic organs — such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue — to Cyclopamine datasheet regulate whole body energy homeostasis. Thus, deregulation of mTOR signaling leads to metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and cancer, that is, some of the most common causes of death in Western society. Furthermore, consistent with its role as a nutrient and growth factor sensor, decreased

mTOR signaling reduces aging and thereby extends lifespan. Importantly, aging is a major risk factor for the development of cancer and metabolic disorders. DOK2 Thus, mTOR underlies both aging and age-related diseases, suggesting that insight in mTOR signaling may provide a means to counter both aging and age-related disease by a single ‘treatment’. In other words, an understanding of mTOR signaling may allow one to collectively ‘treat’ age-related diseases by delaying aging. Here, we review the major recent findings on mTOR signaling in different metabolic organs and how this may affect aging and age-related disease. Aging is defined as an accumulation of cellular damage over time, promoting disease and death. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of TORC1 signaling extends lifespan in yeast, worms, flies and mice [9, 10•, 11, 12, 13••, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19]. Importantly, rapamycin delays the onset of age-related disease and extends lifespan even in old mice [13•• and 15].

The following section details the procedure above for the first g

The following section details the procedure above for the first group of waves (Long elevated waves). The same procedure applies to every other group, therefore only the final runup equations are presented in this paper. Detailed information on the regression analysis for individual wave groups can be found in Charvet (2012). The first subset of data to be used in the regression

is long elevated waves (group ET/Tb<1ET/Tb<1). Only those combinations of k  , K  , L  , h  , and a   that result in a high value of R2R2, a zero mean error, and which satisfy all the linearity assumptions, are kept. Table 5 presents the regression coefficients, characteristic lengths variables and uncertainties associated with the combinations selleck products displaying a significant degree of

linearity between x   and y   (R2⩾0.80R2⩾0.80). In the present analysis, outliers are defined as data for which associated residuals are located more than 2.5 standard deviations away from their mean e¯ and they are removed. The methodology applied to verify the statistical assumptions presented in Table 5 is described in Appendix C. The results of Table 5 indicate that for long elevated waves, there is a unique combination of the parameters a  , h  , L   and EPEP that gives a strong linear relationship (R2=0.94R2=0.94) with unbiased estimates logK=2.32logK=2.32 and k=0.89k=0.89. These regression Ivacaftor clinical trial coefficients are close to 2 and 1 and are tested against the two null hypotheses: H01:logK=2H01:logK=2 Ureohydrolase and H02:k=1H02:k=1 (t-test). The t-test used for this purpose is described in Appendix D,

and the results show that the runup relationship can be expressed as: equation(18) logRh=2+loga3ρgEP. This suggests that a linear relationship describes well the evolution of runup as a function of parameters of the wave form. The residual and normality plot associated with the regression are displayed in Fig. 10, and the 95% confidence intervals associated with the regression curve are also constructed (methodology described in Appendix E), and plotted together with the regression results in Fig. 11. The same procedure is applied to all the other groups of waves. Laws of the form of Eq. (16) are summarized in Table 6, with confidence intervals for k and K, for each group of waves. The results from this table are discussed in the next section. The literature review has shown that a number of previous studies on runup of solitary/elevated waves have determined that the runup approximately scales as the amplitude of the incoming wave. Posing Ep≈ρgLa2Ep≈ρgLa2, Eq. (19) indicates that: Rh∝aL. Moreover, 0.18

8% of patients

treated with TVR twice daily and 72 8% of

8% of patients

treated with TVR twice daily and 72.8% of patients treated with TVR every 8 hours (see Supplementary Results). Relapse rates were similar between those treated with TVR twice daily (7.7%) and every 8 hours (6.5%). Virological response by IL28B genotype showed that the efficacy of TVR twice daily versus every 8 hours was similar regardless of IL28B genotype ( Figure 1B). SVR12 was higher in patients with CC versus non-CC learn more genotypes (90% vs 67%, respectively; P < .0001). In a post hoc analysis, IL28B genotype was strongly associated with SVR12 after adjustment for other baseline factors, including fibrosis stage (odds ratio, 5.00; 95% CI, 3.01–8.30; P < .0001). Virological response rates for TVR dosing twice daily and every 8 hours were also generally comparable across fibrosis stage subgroups ( Figure 1C). In patients without cirrhosis, SVR12 rates were 78% (245/315) and 77% (246/321) for TVR twice daily and every 8 hours, respectively; in patients with cirrhosis, SVR12 rates were 54% (29/54) and 49% (24/49), respectively. Overall, SVR12 was lower in patients with cirrhosis versus those without (51% vs 77%, respectively; P = .0001). When IL28B genotype and fibrosis stage were considered together, the highest SVR12 rate (90%; 95% CI, 84%–94%) was observed in patients with CC genotype with F0 to F2 fibrosis stage and the lowest SVR12 rate (47%; 95% CI, 39%–55%) was observed in patients with non-CC genotype with

advanced fibrosis or selleck chemical GBA3 cirrhosis (F3–F4). Both IL28B genotype and fibrosis stage correlated strongly with SVR12 (P < .0001). Subgroup analyses for baseline characteristics, including sex, region, body mass index, insulin resistance (as measured by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), HCV RNA level, and HCV genotype (1a and 1b), showed

similar SVR12 outcomes for TVR twice daily and every 8 hours (Figure 2). The low numbers of patients older than 65 years and who were Asian, black, or “other” race meant no reliable conclusions could be drawn on differences in SVR12 rate between the 2 TVR dosing regimens in these subgroups. The total treatment duration was determined by RVR rates, which were similar with TVR twice daily (69.4%) and every 8 hours (67.4%). For patients who achieved RVR and were eligible for 24 weeks of treatment (68.4%), SVR rates were 86.3% and 85.2% for TVR twice daily and every 8 hours, respectively. In patients with cirrhosis who achieved RVR, SVR rates after 24 weeks of treatment were 67.9% for TVR twice daily and 58.6% for TVR every 8 hours. The SVR12 rate for the minority of patients who did not achieve RVR was 47% for both dosing regimens. Overall, the extended RVR rates (<25 IU/mL, target not detectable at weeks 4 and 12) were 66.1% and 63.1% for TVR twice daily and every 8 hours, respectively. The proportion of patients with extended RVR rates who achieved SVR12 was 89.3% for both groups. On-treatment virological failure was observed in 38 (10.3%) and 36 (9.

Thus, we will assess agreement between the approaches, face and c

Thus, we will assess agreement between the approaches, face and construct validity of the simple approach, and compare the predictive capacity of the 2 approaches using nursing home use (NHU), death, or both, as the primary outcome. The University of Pennsylvania institutional review board approved this study. The Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA II) was a nationally representative prospective cohort (N=9447) of community-dwelling persons, 70 years

www.selleckchem.com/Proteasome.html and older at baseline (Wave 1) in 1994. Wave 2 interviews occurred in 1997 and 1998, and the overall Wave 2 response rate was 84.7% (n=7998).13 The LSOA II asks 2 questions for each ADL (bathing/showering, dressing, eating, getting in and out of bed or chairs, walking, using the toilet including getting to the toilet) to determine ADL difficulty. The first question asks, Enzalutamide purchase “Because of a health or physical problem do you have ANY difficulty…?” An affirmative answer is followed by asking “how much difficulty,” which leads to 4 response levels (no, some, a lot, unable). Complex stages were developed using the 4-level responses.3 We used the first

question’s 2-level response (difficulty, no difficulty) to develop simple stages, using an empirical approach similar to that used in the complex system development.11 Complex ADL stage development has been described elsewhere,11 so we only present the development of simple stages. Each person was assigned an ADL profile based on the answers to the 6 ADL questions. Profiles were then sorted by the total number of reported difficult ADL (range, 0–6). The most frequent profile of those reporting 1 difficult ADL defined the “hardest” ADL. An additional criterion was that once an ADL entered the hierarchy, it had to remain difficult in the most frequently occurring profiles of higher totals of ADL difficulties. Hence, for each unit increase in total number of difficult ADL, only 1 ADL

was added, which was then considered PFKL the “next hardest” ADL (table 1). After determining the ADL hierarchy, we constructed 5 stages (see fig 2) to reflect the 5 International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health self-care performance levels. We grouped the 2 hardest ADL, followed by the next 2 hardest ADL. Those reporting difficulty with all ADL were assigned stage IV. Stage III was designed to accommodate atypical patterns of difficulty where a person reported difficulty with 1 (or both) of the 2 easiest ADL, but no difficulty with at least 1 ADL (which often includes one of the harder ADL). After establishing the stages, we then developed algorithms (see figs 1 and 2) to facilitate assigning stages efficiently in a clinical setting.

Por sua vez, a administração de contraste endovenoso (hexafluoret

Por sua vez, a administração de contraste endovenoso (hexafluoreto de enxofre,

Sonovue®) ( fig. 1) permite analisar o padrão de microvascularização das lesões. O ADC tem uma aparência hipovascular, contrariamente aos TNE e às lesões de pancreatite crónica e autoimune, que têm aparência hiper ou isovascular 33. O achado de uma massa hipocaptante exibe uma sensibilidade de 94% e especificidade de 89% no diagnóstico de ADC do pâncreas 34. A análise quantitativa da captação de contraste pode vir a aumentar a acuidade da técnica, particularmente no diagnóstico diferencial entre ADC e pancreatite crónica 34. Outras aplicações possíveis dos agentes de contraste incluem a avaliação das estruturas vasculares perilesionais, permitindo melhorar see more a acuidade da EE no estadiamento T, e a deteção de lesões de pequenas dimensões não identificadas por EE em modo B, particularmente nos doentes com pancreatite crónica

ou com próteses biliares. Embora não possam substituir a PAAF-EE, estas 2 modalidades podem contribuir para a tomada de decisões this website clínicas na abordagem de casos com cito-histologia negativa para malignidade e podem ser utilizadas para guiar e potenciar os resultados da PAAF–EE de lesões pancreáticas e de gânglios linfáticos, permitindo selecionar as áreas suspeitas a puncionar 35 and 36. O ADC compreende 90% das neoplasias sólidas do pâncreas. Localiza-se mais frequentemente na região cefálica. O aspeto ecomorfológico mais representativo deste tumor é o de uma massa heterogénea, hipoecóica e com margens irregulares (fig. 2), tendo como achados preditivos a dilatação do ducto pancreático principal e a presença de um halo hipoecóico periductal (sinal hipoecóico periductal)37. Dada a elevada sensibilidade da angio–TC na avaliação da invasão arterial, a EE deve ter o papel de confirmar o grau de envolvimento vascular já determinado por este método de imagem, após exclusão de metastização à distância38. Os tumores irressecáveis ou borderline ressectable podem ser incluídos em protocolos de terapêutica

Nintedanib (BIBF 1120) neoadjuvante em validação e com diferentes finalidades 39. Nestes casos é mandatório o diagnóstico cito-histopatológico prévio obtido por PAAF-EE. Igualmente, a presença de linfadenopatias malignas pode justificar a realização de terapêutica neoadjuvante. As características ecomorfológicas dos gânglios linfáticos associadas a malignidade são a forma arredondada, dimensão superior a 5 mm, ecotextura hipoecóica e margens bem definidas. Quando presentes em conjunto, apresentam uma acuidade diagnóstica de 80%, o que ocorre em apenas 25% dos gânglios malignos, podendo ser necessário recorrer à PAAF para confirmação cito-histológica 37. A EE possibilita, também, a identificação e punção de bolsas de efusões peritoneais e pleurais, lesões nodulares hepáticas e adenopatias à distância.

The late Pliocene (after ∼ 3 5 Ma) was characterized by a distinc

The late Pliocene (after ∼ 3.5 Ma) was characterized by a distinct increase in the relative abundance of Uvigerina proboscidea (a well-known indicator of high surface water productivity; Gupta and Srinivasan, 1992, Rai and Srinivasan, 1994, Rai and Singh, 2001 and Rai et al., 2007, and others) and the significant Belinostat datasheet development of high food-exploiting faunal assemblages (i.e. the U. proboscidea and Bulimina aculeata assemblages), along with a decrease in faunal diversity and higher percentages of total

infaunal taxa. This was also a time of greater percentages of high-productivity taxa and suboxic taxa. The above faunal changes reflect the development of a strong upwelling-led high-productivity system at the beginning of the late Pliocene in the eastern Indian Ocean. Wells et al. (1994) also recorded identical benthic foraminiferal and isotopic signals in the eastern Indian Ocean during the penultimate glaciation and suggested an increase

in surface water productivity due to the establishment of a zone of upwelling. The final closure of the Indonesian seaway during ∼ 4–3 Ma changed the source of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) from the warm and saline south Pacific to the cooler and fresher north Pacific waters, which took a more westerly course. This, in turn, reduced the magnitude of the warm, southward-flowing Leeuwin Current and paved the way for the further northward flow of the cold Western Australian Current, which resulted in the marked shoaling of the thermocline in

the eastern Indian Ocean. It was probably AZD5363 solubility dmso during this period that westerly equatorial winds also became stronger, which started to impinge on the west coast of Australia, and were accompanied by stronger tropical easterlies blowing off the Australian landmass ( Venkatarathnam & Biscaye 1977). These stronger offshore winds are thought to have been responsible for the intense offshore Ekman transport, causing potential upwelling of cold and PLEK2 nutrient-rich water and the development of higher surface water productivity at low latitudes off the west coast of Australia in the eastern Indian Ocean. Karas et al. (2009) also attributed the gradual freshening and related cooling (∼ 4 °C) of subsurface waters predominantly from ∼ 3.5 to 2.95 Ma to the gradual constriction of the Indonesian seaway and the related switch in the source of subsurface ITF waters from the warm and saline south Pacific to the cooler and fresher north Pacific. At the same time, Lisiecki & Raymo (2005) recorded globally low values of benthic δ18O with a small amplitude reflecting a low ice volume. The benthic Mg/Ca values do not suggest any distinct change in deep-sea temperatures either ( Billups & Schrag 2002). Karas et al. (2009) argued that the significant cooling of Indian Ocean subsurface waters was not a result of the global cooling that intensified the Northern Hemisphere glaciations.

9%), rather than quartile, as the cut-off were carried out to ass

9%), rather than quartile, as the cut-off were carried out to assess the sensitivity of our findings to the choice of cut-point. We investigated two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the CRP gene, rs1205 and rs3093068. These SNPs have been shown to be associated with plasma CRP concentration ( Halder et al., 2010 and Kolz et al., 2008). DNA was extracted and purified from whole blood using the Puregene DNA Isolation Kit (Flowgen, Leicestershire, UK) according to the manufacturer’s protocol.

The SNPs were typed by Source Bioscience PLC using the Applied Biosystems (Foster City, CA) SNPlex technology which is a based on an Oligonucleotide Ligation Assay combined with multiplex PCR amplification and capillary electrophoresis. Genotyping was performed using an ABI 3730xl DNA Analyser and ABI GeneMapper v4.0 software. The integrity of the genotyping was checked SB431542 mouse by genotyping frequency, concordance of duplicates and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The call rates for the SNPs was >99%, with >95% concordance between duplicate samples. There was no evidence of deviation from HWE in the total sample or in the investigated sub-groups (p > 0.05). Selleck Roscovitine We used logistic regression models to assess associations between adolescent emotional problems (at age 13–15 years), and between adult affective symptoms (at age 36 years)

and the metabolic syndrome and its components (at age 53 years). In addition to the main analyses, sensitivity analyses were carried out to investigate the possibility that any relationship observed may be influenced by reverse causality. Given that the causal direction of the association between affective symptoms and the metabolic syndrome remains unknown, it is possible that any Edoxaban observed relationship between affective symptoms and the metabolic syndrome is due to a pre-existing metabolic syndrome resulting in affective symptoms. Since information

to allow ascertainment of the metabolic syndrome before age 53 years was not available, individuals most likely to have early onset metabolic syndrome were excluded from these sensitivity analyses to ensure that occurrence of affective symptoms preceded the onset of the metabolic syndrome. We excluded those who were overweight at age 15 years when considering adolescent emotional problems, and those who had diabetes or BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2 at age 36 years when considering adult affective symptoms. We then fitted a model with metabolic syndrome as the outcome with both adolescent emotional problems and adult affective symptoms as explanatory variables. All models were adjusted for sex. Tests were then carried out to assess whether the associations were the same in men and women by adding a sex by affective status interaction term in addition to the main effects of sex and affective status. In addition, analyses were carried out separately for men and women. Pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) was ascertained using the Haploview 4.0 (Barrett et al., 2005).