Molecular cloning and functional characterization of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Bottlenose dolphin tumor necrosis factor alpha (doTNF-alpha) cDNA was cloned by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the nucleic and deduced amino acid sequences were determined. The sequence of the cDNA clones shows that doTNF-alpha has an open reading frame of 699bp encoding 233 amino acids. The nucleic acid sequence of doTNF-alpha indicates 90, 88, 87, and 79% similarity with the cattle, pig, human, and mouse TNF-alpha gene, respectively. Based on the analysis of human and mouse TNF-alpha molecules, doTNF-alpha is processed to a mature protein with 157 amino acids. The 233 amino acids precursor has a hydrophobic region that could serve as a transmembrane domain. The recombinant doTNF-alpha expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein reacted with anti-human TNF-alpha antibody and exerted cytotoxity to the TNF-alpha sensitive murine cell line L929.

[Analysis of items missing in responses to a series of follow-up surveys in Japanese elderly].

PURPOSES: We examined whether the percentage of items missing and the factors related to item missing differ across follow-up surveys, Variables targeted to examine missing items included health indicators (activities of daily living, cognitive function, self-rated health, Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression, and PGC Morale Scale), health habits (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, and relative weight), and socioeconomic indicators (educational attainment, income, and social networks). METHODS: Longitudinal data were collected at intervals of three years since 1987 through a national survey of Japanese adults aged 60 and over, At the baseline survey, a total of 2,200 interviews were completed from the list of 3,288 names. At the following three follow-up surveys, 1,671, 1,369, and 1,068 persons were reinterviewed respectively. Possible factors related to appearance of a missing item consisted of five aspects; 1) demographic variables (age and sex), 2) social status (educational attainment, existence of a spouse, and job status), 3) health status (activities of daily living and cognitive function), 4) cooperative attitude toward a survey, and 5) whether an item had been missing at the previous survey (s). Those factors were analyzed for each variable respectively. If a group with scaled or collective items had one or more missing items, we classified that group as a missing item group. RESULTS: 1. The percentage of cases with items missing was 5 percent or more for four variables; CES-D, PGC Morale Scale, income, and health habits. Those percentages were almost constant over the four surveys. 2. Factors related to appearance of items missing differed by psychological variables such as, CES-D and PGC Morale Scale, income, or health habits. Those factors had constant impact on appearance of items missing over follow-up surveys. 3. Regarding CES-D, PGC Morale Scale, income, or health habits, persons with an item missing at a previous survey, or who did not have a cooperative attitude toward the survey had a significant impact on an increase in the percentage of missing items. CONCLUSION: Characteristics of persons with items missing differs among the variables, and those characteristics may contribute to the incidence of items missing in subsequent surveys.

[Impact of health practices on changes in the physical and mental well-being of older adults].

Previous studies on young and middle-aged adults have demonstrated a correlation between certain personal health practices and reduced mortality. However, we have little knowledge to what extent the findings can be generalized to older adults. Our purpose was to investigate the impact of health practices on subsequent changes in the physical and mental well-being of the elderly. We used longitudinal data of a national representative sample of 2,200 older adults aged 60 and over at baseline. This six-year prospective study examined the associations of six items related to personal health habits--cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, eating breakfast, hours of sleep, and relative weight--with subsequent health status change. Not smoking was the only health practice that achieved a statistically significant relationship with the reduction of future mortality risk. Obesity (20% or more overweight) was a risk factor for the subsequent impairment in activities of daily living. Those who reported a high frequency of exercise and sleeping 7 or 8 hours per night at baseline were less likely to show decreases in their levels of mental well-being. These results suggest that not smoking, weight control, physical exercise, and sleep patterns may have an important role in maintaining physical and mental well-being in older adults.

Transitions in cognitive status among the aged in Japan.

This study examines the competing risk of cognitive impairment, mortality and study attrition over a three year period within a national probability sample of Japanese elderly (n = 1506). Younger age and fewer chronic conditions were related to recovery, while older age, being married, poorer self-rated health and depression were related to mortality. Impaired, urban respondents were more likely to drop out of the study than impaired rural respondents. For those 'intact' at baseline, the probabilities of impairment, death and non-response were 7, 6 and 16%. Older, less educated individuals were more likely to become impaired; older males, less educated, married, those in poorer self-rated health with poor functional health were more likely to die; and younger, single, urban living individuals with poor self-rated and functional health, a past smoking history and high levels of depression were the most likely to drop out of the study. A Japanese elder aged 65 is expected to spend about 14.6 years (81%) free from cognitive impairement and about 3.45 years (19%) experiencing some degree of cognitive impairment throughout the remaining lifetime.

[A comparison of preventive health behaviors among middle-aged males in different types of communities in Tokyo].

Preventive health behaviors of middle-aged men living in areas of Tokyo with differing mortality rates were analyzed to determine if regional differences exist and if so why. Information on seven different health behaviors (cigarette smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, food intake pattern, taking breakfast, hours of sleep, and relative weight) were obtained by a survey among the sample randomly selected from men 35 to 64 years of age living in two separate communities, Koto-Ward with a high middle-aged male mortality and Bunkyo-Ward where it is low. The following results were obtained; 1) In Koto-Ward where middle-aged male mortality is high, the proportion of interviewees who participated physical activity more than once a week and had good food intake patterns was significantly lower than in Bunkyo-Ward. 2) Regional differences in both physical activity and food intake pattern appear to be due to differences in proportion of higher educational attainment which is associated with more frequent participation in physical activity and better food intake patterns.

Social intergration and change in activities of daily living in Japanese elderly.

The prospective association of social integration reported in 1987 with change in activities of daily living (ADL) over three years was examined in a cohort of 2200 Japanese elderly, aged 60 years and over. Social integration data was obtained from a national survey which measured both the quantity and frequency of attachment. Social ties were classified into five types: spouse, child(ren) living together, child(ren) living separately, friend, neighbor, and community group. Eight potential confounding variables--age, educational attainment, existence of chronic diseases, subjective well-being, drinking, sleeping hours, cigarette smoking, and exercise--were controlled using logistic regression analysis for each sex. Men who attended community group meetings more frequently had significantly less decline in ADL during the follow-up period for those who were ADL unimpaired at the baseline survey, and were also significantly more improved for those who were ADL impaired people at the baseline survey. Trends for women were not significant.

[Social integration and mortality in Japanese elderly].

The prospective association of social integration reported in 1987 with mortality over three years was examined in a cohort of 2200 Japanese elderly, aged 60 years and over. Social integration data was obtained from a national survey which measured both the quantity and frequency of attachment. Social ties was classified into five types; spouse, child(ren) living together, child(ren) living separately, friend, neighbor, and community group. Ten potential confounding variables-age, educational attainment, address, existence of chronic diseases, activities of daily living, subjective well-being, drinking, sleeping hours, cigarette smoking, and exercise- were controlled using logistic regression analysis for each sex. Men who belong to more community organizations or attend meeting of these groups more frequently had significantly less mortality during the follow-up period. Trends for women were not significant. No association was observed between mortality and other variables of social integration.

[A study of attitudes toward medical care and health behaviors among older adults].

In order to understand the attitudes of older adults toward medical care, we interviewed 480 persons living in Yokohama, and 180 persons living in Aikawa, Kanagawa, aged 45 to 84 years old. The following results were obtained; 1) Attitudes toward medical care can be classified into four types; self-determined medical care, self treatment attitudes, high dependence on the medical care system, and distrust of medical care. Those interviewees who had high self-determination in medical care and self treatment attitudes showed strong distrust of medical care. 2) There were two groups with trend toward low compliance to the advice of a physician for a physician diagnosed illness: the group that had strong self-determination in medical care, and the group that had high distrust of medical care. The interviewees who had a strong tendency to see a physician for potentially serious illness had high self treatment attitudes, but disease prevention behaviors was not associated with all of four types. 3) In both communities, those interviewees who were younger and with higher educational levels showed strong distrust of medical care and had more self-determination attitudes. Those interviewees who had actually experienced problems in medical treatment showed less dependence on medical care and more distrust of medical care compared to those who had not. In Yokohama, distrust of medical care appeared to be higher among those interviewees who did not have a family doctor than those who had. 4) Distrust of medical care and self-determination in medical care was significantly higher in Yokohama than in Aikawa. The differences in the distribution of educational level and family doctors were a part of the reason for area differences in attitudes of distrust of medical care.