Trends And Determinants Of Blood Pressure In Chinese Children And Adolescents During The Recent Obesity Epidemic: A Repeated Cross-sectional Study Over 25 Years
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$349,259.00
Summary
Over the last 25 years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased over 9 times among Chinese children and adolescents. The aims of this project are to assess the trends of blood pressure levels in children during the period of obesity epidemic, and to estimate the effects of obesity and other factors on the trends of blood pressure levels. In this repeated cross-sectional study, we will analyse the data of six surveys collected over a period of 25 years with over 1.4 million participant ....Over the last 25 years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased over 9 times among Chinese children and adolescents. The aims of this project are to assess the trends of blood pressure levels in children during the period of obesity epidemic, and to estimate the effects of obesity and other factors on the trends of blood pressure levels. In this repeated cross-sectional study, we will analyse the data of six surveys collected over a period of 25 years with over 1.4 million participants.Read moreRead less
New Dopaminergic Neurons In The Parkinson's Disease Striatum: Establishment Of Phenotype, Function And Origin.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$156,493.00
Summary
Parkinson s disease is usually associated with loss of dopamine cells that send nerves from the substantia nigra to the striatum. However, we have found large numbers of apparently new dopaminergic cells in post mortem tissue from the striatum of 10 patients with Parkinson s disease but not in 5 age-matched controls. Our aims are firstly to determine whether these cells are indeed dopaminergic neurons by establishing their neurochemical and morphological profiles. This is required to determine w ....Parkinson s disease is usually associated with loss of dopamine cells that send nerves from the substantia nigra to the striatum. However, we have found large numbers of apparently new dopaminergic cells in post mortem tissue from the striatum of 10 patients with Parkinson s disease but not in 5 age-matched controls. Our aims are firstly to determine whether these cells are indeed dopaminergic neurons by establishing their neurochemical and morphological profiles. This is required to determine whether these apparently dopaminergic cells do indeed produce the neurotransmitter dopamine and to determine to what class of neuron they belong. The latter is important to establish whether they act locally in the striatum or extend their influence over a larger area of the brain. Secondly we shall assess their function in human and rat tissue. We shall determine whether their number is related to the severity of damage in Parkinson s disease, or whether L-DOPA therapy, which most patients receive, plays any role in their appearance. These experiments will lay the ground work to allow us to determine whether these cells are beneficial or harmful. Lastly, we shall determine where these cells come from. We shall determine whether they have always been present but have taken on a new function, or whether they are in fact new cells which have been born recently. This knowledge is essential if we are to be able to change their numbers to improve treatment of Parkinson s disease. We estimate that there are up to 66,000 of these dopaminergic cells in each striatum of patients with Parkinson s disease. This is enough to have a significant impact on the manifestation of the disease. These cells might be beneficial, allowing the brain to maintain essential functions for longer or they might be harmful playing a role in either development of Parkinson s disease itself or the harmful side effects of L-DOPA therapy.Read moreRead less