Does brown fat activation mediate cold-induced thermogenesis in adult humans in response to a mild decrease in ambient temperature?
A small reduction in ambient temperature, within the range of climate-controlled buildings, is sufficient to increase human BAT activity, which correlates with individual CIT response. This study uncovers for the first time a spectrum of BAT activation among healthy adults during mild cold exposure not previously recognized by conventional PET and PET-computed tomography methods. The enhancement of cold-induced BAT stimulation may represent a novel environmental strategy in obesity treatment.
The COMT val158met polymorphism is associated with life time fracture prevalence in elderly Swedish men. This association is mainly driven by early fractures (<or=50 years of age).