Biomarkers of aging in women and the rate of longitudinal changes

The purposes of this study were (1) to estimate biological age score (BAS) in Japanese healthy women based on the 4-7 years longitudinal data for physiological, hematological and biochemical examinations and (2) to examine the rate of aging changes in adult women based on the estimated BAS. The samples consisted of cross-sectional (n=981) and longitudinal (n=110) groups. Out of 31 variables examined, five variables (forced expiratory volume in 1.0 s, systolic blood pressure, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, glucose, albumin/globulin ratio) that met the following criteria: 1) significant cross-sectional correlation with age; 2) significant longitudinal change in the same direction as the cross-sectional correlation; and (3) assessment of redundancy, were selected as candidate biomarkers of aging. This variable set was then submitted into a principal component analysis, and the first principal component obtained from this analysis was used as an equation for assessing one's BAS. Individual BAS showed a high longitudinal stability of age-related changes, suggesting high predictive validity of our newly developed aging measurement equation. However, changes in the aging rate based on the estimated BAS were not constant. The mean slopes of the regression lines of BAS for the three age groups (age<45, 45相似文献   

Effects of zinc and/or iron deficiency on rectal temperature in rats

O'Dell et al. reported that rectal temperature was decreased by zinc deficiency in rats. However, it is not known whether a combined deficiency of zinc and iron affects rectal temperature. Forty 4-wk-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into four dietary treatment groups of 10 rats each for the 4-wk study: zinc-deficient group (4.5 mg Zn and 35 mg Fe/kg diet; −Zn), iron-deficient group (30 mg Zn/kg diet, no supplemental iron; −Fe), zinc/iron-deficient group (4.5 mg Zn/kg diet, no supplemental iron; −Zn−Fe), and control group (AIN-93G; Cont). At d 24–27, the rectal temperature was determined. The rectal temperature of the −Zn group was significantly lower than the Cont group. The rectal temperature of the −Zn−Fe group was similar to that of the Cont group, although thyroid-stimulating hormone and total thyroxin concentrations were the lowest in the −Zn−Fe group among all groups. The pattern of the plasma nitrate/nitrite concentrations across groups was similar to rectal temperature. Although observation of the rectal temperature is not conclusive, the balance between zinc and iron intake seems to determine the body temperature set point. These results suggest that the thermogenic effect of thyroid hormones is not throught to influence the paradoxical maintenance of rectal temperature in combined deficiency of zinc and iron.     

Estimation of evolutionary parameters with phylogenetic trees

An important issue in the phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequence data using the maximum likelihood (ML) method is the underlying evolutionary model employed. We consider the problem of simultaneously estimating the tree topology and the parameters in the underlying substitution model and of obtaining estimates of the standard errors of these parameter estimates. Given a fixed tree topology and corresponding set of branch lengths, the ML estimates of standard evolutionary model parameters are asymptotically efficient, in the sense that their joint distribution is asymptotically normal with the variance–covariance matrix given by the inverse of the Fisher information matrix. We propose a new estimate of this conditional variance based on estimation of the expected information using a Monte Carlo sampling (MCS) method. Simulations are used to compare this conditional variance estimate to the standard technique of using the observed information under a variety of experimental conditions. In the case in which one wishes to estimate simultaneously the tree and parameters, we provide a bootstrapping approach that can be used in conjunction with the MCS method to estimate the unconditional standard error. The methods developed are applied to a real data set consisting of 30 papillomavirus sequences. This overall method is easily incorporated into standard bootstrapping procedures to allow for proper variance estimation.     

The effects of dose and duration of administration of pFSH during the first follicular wave on the ovulation rate of beef heifers

Four experiments were carried out to examine the effects of administration of pFSH (Vetrepharm) from Day 3 of the estrous cycle in conjunction with PG on Day 5 on follicular populations and ovulation rate in heifers. In Experiment 1, 47 heifers were allocated to 1 of 4 treatment groups (n = 11 to 12 per group): a) control, b) 1.5 mg pFSH, c) 2.0 mg pFSH or d) 2.5 mg pFSH until estrus. Heifers assigned to the 3 treatments had a higher ovulation rate than the controls (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, 45 heifers were allocated to 1 of 5 treatment groups (n = 8 to 10 per group): a) control, b) 1.0 mg pFSH until PG, c) 1.0 mg pFSH until estrus, d) 1.5 mg pFSH until PG or e) 1.5 mg pFSH until estrus. From Day 5, heifers assigned to pFSH treatments had more large follicles than the controls (P < 0.05). There was no effect of treatment on the incidence of twin ovulations. In Experiment 3, 43 heifers were assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 11 to 16 per group): a) control, b) 1.0 mg pFSH until estrus or c) 1.5 mg pFSH until estrus. At slaughter, 14 d after administration of PG, the incidence of twin ovulations was 0/11, 7/16 and 8/16 for Groups a, b and c, respectively (P = 0.011). In Experiment 4, pFSH (1.5 mg) was administered to 3 groups during the development of the first dominant follicle: a) growth phase (n = 19); b) static phase (n = 17); and c) decline phase (n = 17). All pFSH-treated heifers had a higher ovulation rate than the controls (P < 0.05); heifers assigned to Group c had a higher ovulation rate than those in Groups a or b (P < 0.05). More heifers assigned to Group c (7/17) superovulated than in the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, administration of 1.0 or 1.5 mg pFSH twice daily beginning at Day 3 of the estrous cycle in association with the induction of luteolysis increased the ovulation rate significantly when pFSH treatment was continued to onset of estrus. The ovulation rate and the occurrence of multiple ovulations were significantly higher when pFSH was administered at the time that the first dominant follicle was in decline.     

Incentive design to boost health for juveniles with Medicaid coverage: Evidence from a field experiment

Augmenting incentives for juveniles with separate incentives for parents could boost juvenile efforts to reduce BMI. However, financing a parent incentive by reducing the incentives offered to adolescents could attenuate the juvenile response. In a field experiment, Medicaid-covered juveniles enrolled in a cardiac wellness program were randomly assigned to two groups: juveniles in the focused-incentive group received all earned points; juveniles in the split-incentive group split earned points with a parent. The focused-incentive group was 12.8 percentage points more likely to achieve their stipulated goals compared to the split-incentive group at the end of the 3-month active phase of the program. In contrast, members of the split-incentive group outperformed their peers in the focused-incentive group during the second quarter, and the two incentives structures were equally effective at the year-end session. Additional quasi-experimental data indicates that members of both incentivized groups significantly outperformed (focused-incentive group by 8.48 percentage points and split-incentive group by 11.0 percentage points) a pre-experiment (non-incentivized) set of juveniles enrolled in the same program at year-end.     

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Investigation of the Effects of Neurofeedback Training on the Neural Bases of Selective Attention and Response Inhibition in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments were undertaken to measure the effect of neurofeedback training (NFT), in AD/HD children, on the neural substrates of selective attention and response inhibition. Twenty unmedicated AD/HD children participated to these experiments. Fifteen children were randomly assigned to the Experimental (EXP) group whereas the other five children were randomly assigned to the Control (CON) group. Only subjects in the EXP group underwent NFT. EXP subjects were trained to enhance the amplitude of the SMR (12–15 Hz) and beta 1 activity (15–18 Hz), and decrease the amplitude of theta activity (4–7 Hz). Subjects from both groups were scanned one week before the beginning of NFT (Time 1) and 1 week after the end of NFT (Time 2), while they performed a “Counting Stroop” task (Experiment 1) and a Go/No-Go task (Experiment 2). At Time 1, in both groups, the Counting Stroop task was associated with significant activation in the left superior parietal lobule. For the Go/No-Go task, no significant activity was detected in the EXP and CON groups. At Time 2, in both groups, the Counting Stroop task was associated with significant activation of the left superior parietal lobule. This time, however, there were significant loci of activation, in the EXP group, in the right ACC, left caudate nucleus, and left substantia nigra. No such activation loci were seen in CON subjects. For the Go/No-Go task, significant loci of activation were noted, in the EXP group, in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, right ACcd, left thalamus, left caudate nucleus, and left substantia nigra. No significant activation of these brain regions was measured in CON subjects. These results suggest that NFT has the capacity to functionally normalize the brain systems mediating selective attention and response inhibition in AD/HD children.     

Quantitative Comparison of the Signals of an Electrochemical Bioactivity Sensor During the Cultivation of Different Microorganisms

The microbial activity of different microorganisms was determined by means of an electrochemical bioactivity sensor (BAS). The BAS is based on a biofuel cell and was used for analytical purposes. Online determination of microbial activity using the BAS demonstrated that when different microorganisms with different metabolic pathways were cultivated, a distinct activity signal was detectable with all organisms applied. Furthermore, the results permitted a quantitative comparison of the BAS signals. Among other findings it was shown that the quotient of the BAS signal and the utilized glucose varied from 0.16–29.08 mV g⁻¹, the quotient of the maximum BAS signal and the released energy of the reaction exhibited a lower variation of 0.07–0.19 mV kJ⁻¹. Furthermore it was demonstrated that the highest BAS signals could be measured during anaerobic E. coli fermentations, the reason being the formation of electroactive fermentation products, such as formic acid and H₂.     

Hypoglycemic Effect of a Hot-water Extract from Defatted Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Seed on the Blood Glucose Level in Genetically Diabetic KK-Ay Mice

Genetically diabetic (type II) KK-A^y mice, male and 5 weeks of age, were divided into one group of 12 mice that were fed on a basal (BAS) diet and three groups of 6 mice each that were fed on the test diets for 4 weeks. Each test diet contained 4.0% of the hot-water extract (HES) from defatted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed, 1.4% of the water eluent fraction (WFH) of HES or 0.7% of the methanol eluent fraction (MFH) of HES from a glass column packed with HP-20 resin. At the end of the feeding period, the BAS group was divided into the MAL and MALH groups which were respectively force-fed with 1 ml per mouse of a 20% maltose solution in water with or without 4.0% HES. The plasma glucose concentration and amount of urinary excreted glucose were lower from the HES and MFH diets than from the BAS and WFH diets. The levels of plasma glucose and serum insulin were lower in the MALH group than in the MAL group. These results indicate that HES and MFH had a reductive effect on the plasma glucose concentration of KK-A^y mice, and this effect is suggested to have been caused by the delayed glucose absorption.     

Rapid Shoot Propagation from Micro-Cross Sections of Kiwifruit (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Actinidia deliciosa</Emphasis> cv. ‘Hayward’)

Kiwifruit shoots can be rapidly propagated through a micro-cross section (MCS) system we established here. Optimal culture conditions were determined for different expiant types, section sizes, and concentrations of inorganic salts and plant growth regulators. Rates of survival and callus formation were higher in half-strength MS salts than in full-strength MS media. Similar performance (i.e., survival and callus formation) was achieved with section sizes of either 800 μm or 1200 μm. Proliferation efficiency was greatest when expiants from stem tissue were cultured on 1/2 MS supplemented with 4.5x10^-3 μM 2,4-dichlo-rophenoxyacetic acid and 4.6x10^-1 μM zeatin. The number of shoots averaged 2.61 per expiant, representing an efficiency of 94%. RAPD analysis revealed that the regenerated plants from our MCS system were genetically stable. These results show that the culturing of micro-cross sections from stem tissue is a powerful method for kiwifruit propagation.     

Covariance adjustment of survival curves based on Cox's proportional hazards regression model

Cox^'s proportional hazards regression model is a useful statisticaltool for the analysis of ‘survival data’ from longitudinalstudies. This multivariate method compares the ‘survivalexperience’ between two or more exposure groups whileallowing for simultaneous adjustment of confounding due to oneor more covariates. In addition to the summary regression statistics,further insight on the exposure–response relationshipcan be gained by visually examining the covariates–adjustedsurvival curves in the respective comparison groups. Covariates–adjustedsurvival curves are usually computed by the ‘average covariatemethod’. This method is, however, subject to potentialdrawbacks. A method that avoids these drawbacks is to estimateadjusted survival curves by the corrected group prognostic curvesapproach. We have written a computer program to construct survivalcurves by the latter method. The program is coded in the InteractiveMatrix Language of SAS.     

A probabilistic approach for validating protein NMR chemical shift assignments

It has been estimated that more than 20% of the proteins in the BMRB are improperly referenced and that about 1% of all chemical shift assignments are mis-assigned. These statistics also reflect the likelihood that any newly assigned protein will have shift assignment or shift referencing errors. The relatively high frequency of these errors continues to be a concern for the biomolecular NMR community. While several programs do exist to detect and/or correct chemical shift mis-referencing or chemical shift mis-assignments, most can only do one, or the other. The one program (SHIFTCOR) that is capable of handling both chemical shift mis-referencing and mis-assignments, requires the 3D structure coordinates of the target protein. Given that chemical shift mis-assignments and chemical shift re-referencing issues should ideally be addressed prior to 3D structure determination, there is a clear need to develop a structure-independent approach. Here, we present a new structure-independent protocol, which is based on using residue-specific and secondary structure-specific chemical shift distributions calculated over small (3–6 residue) fragments to identify mis-assigned resonances. The method is also able to identify and re-reference mis-referenced chemical shift assignments. Comparisons against existing re-referencing or mis-assignment detection programs show that the method is as good or superior to existing approaches. The protocol described here has been implemented into a freely available Java program called “Probabilistic Approach for protein Nmr Assignment Validation (PANAV)” and as a web server () which can be used to validate and/or correct as well as re-reference assigned protein chemical shifts.     

Zoanthids (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) from the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, Australia: systematics, evolution and a key to species

 Zoanthid taxonomy is currently in a state of chaos, with many described species very few of which can be reliably identified. As part of a genetically based, objective reappraisal of the number of northern Australian species, a total of 355 zoanthid specimens were collected from 19 localities in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait during 1992–1994. Specimens, initially assigned to one of ten morphological or ecological forms, were subjected to allozyme electrophoretic analysis. Analysis of genetic data revealed only seven discrete (i.e., non-interbreeding) groups in the family Zoanthidae. These groups, which are delimited by fixed gene differences, are considered species under a biological species concept. Some species show considerable morphological variation and have broad environmental tolerances. We provide the first key to Great Barrier Reef zoanthid species based on our results and observations. Species can be differentiated in the field on the basis of gross colony morphology, sand encrusting habit, polyp form and habitat. Genetic data are also used to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships among the Zoanthidae, which is compared to previous morphologically based systems. Division of the group on the basis of mesenterial arrangement appears justified, but nematocyst data appear less valuable in phylogenetic studies of the group than has been suggested previously. Accepted: 29 January 1996     

Effects of Multivitamin/Mineral Supplementation on Trace Element Levels in Serum and Follicular Fluid of Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

We investigated effects of multivitamin/mineral supplementation on element levels in serum and follicular fluid of women undergoing IVF. We used three groups in this study. The first group was used as an age-matched and nonpregnant control (n = 13). Group 2 (n = 30) constituted the IVF group and women in the third group who were undergoing IVF also received a multivitamin/mineral tablet daily for 45 days. Follicular fluid and serum selenium and zinc levels and follicular fluid copper levels were lower in IVF patients than in controls although follicular fluid aluminum and iron levels were higher in IVF patients than in controls. However, follicular fluid and serum aluminum, copper, zinc and selenium levels, and serum magnesium levels were higher in the multivitamin/mineral group than in the IVF group although follicular fluid iron levels were lower in the multivitamin/mineral group than in the IVF group. In conclusion, we observed that copper, zinc, and selenium in serum and follicular fluid decreased in women undergoing IVF. Multivitamin/mineral supplementation in serum and follicular fluid of women undergoing IVF normalized the trace element levels.     

Are young trees suitable for climate-growth analysis? A trial with Pinus nigra in the central Apennines treeline

In the context of ecological research, tree-ring analysis often deals with short time series (< 30 years). Their crossdating and averaging can be difficult but crucial to use such data for ecological modelling, multivariate statistics, and climate-growth analysis. Several studies were conducted in the Central Apennines (Italy) on recent encroachment of European black pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold) on treeless areas above the current forestline. Growth of young trees is mainly controlled by endogenous or microclimatic factors making usual dendrochronology methods less applicable and crossdating very difficult or even impossible. The potential ecological information deriving from tree-ring growth in short series is therefore limited by this methodological bias. The aim of this study is to test suitable methods for optimizing the use of short ring series for further analytical use. A dataset of 734 tree-ring series of young European black pines (mean cambial age 15 years) growing at high altitude in 8 sites was used in this analysis. At each site tree-ring series were divided in two groups based on inter-series correlation: the crossdated or selected series (SEL), and non-crossdated or rejected ones (REJ). The following dendrochronological parameters were calculated for SEL and REJ series: mean tree-ring width, mean sensitivity, Gini coefficient, first order autocorrelation, inter-series correlation, and Gleichläufigkeit (GLK). Two methods of pointer years analysis were tested in order to detect years with synchronous growth: i) Normalization in a moving Window (NW) and ii) the RElative growth change method (RE). The two methods were applied to the raw series varying the standard thresholds, in order to detect synchronous growth-years in SEL and REJ group. A sensitivity analysis was included to assess how the threshold choice in the analysis could affect the results obtained. The term “common” was used to indicate years with similar tree growth response. Differences in the detected number of common years within SEL and REJ were obtained using different time windows with the RE and NW methods. The 47 % of all series were classified as SEL, showing more common years than the REJ series. However, a similar result occurred considering all the series together without SEL/REJ discrimination. In general, a significant occurrence of common years could be a tool to select series to be averaged for a site mean chronology. These are preliminary but encouraging results contributing to a more efficient use of the ecological information provided by short time series from young trees.     

Hypoglycemic effect of a hot-water extract from defatted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed on the blood glucose level in genetically diabetic KK-Ay mice.

Genetically diabetic (type II) KK-Ay mice, male and 5 weeks of age, were divided into one group of 12 mice that were fed on a basal (BAS) diet and three groups of 6 mice each that were fed on the test diets for 4 weeks. Each test diet contained 4.0% of the hot-water extract (HES) from defatted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed, 1.4% of the water eluent fraction (WFH) of HES or 0.7% of the methanol eluent fraction (MFH) of HES from a glass column packed with HP-20 resin. At the end of the feeding period, the BAS group was divided into the MAL and MALH groups which were respectively force-fed with 1 ml per mouse of a 20% maltose solution in water with or without 4.0% HES. The plasma glucose concentration and amount of urinary excreted glucose were lower from the HES and MFH diets than from the BAS and WFH diets. The levels of plasma glucose and serum insulin were lower in the MALH group than in the MAL group. These results indicate that HES and MFH had a reductive effect on the plasma glucose concentration of KK-Ay mice, and this effect is suggested to have been caused by the delayed glucose absorption.     

Exercise training intensity/volume affects plasma and tissue adiponectin concentrations in the male rat

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of exercise training intensity/volume on plasma total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and tissue total adiponectin concentrations. Thirty-two, eight week-old male Wistar rats (185 ± 5 g) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: high intensity (HI: 34 m/min ∼%80-%85 VO₂max), moderate intensity (MI: 28 m/min ∼%70-%75 VO₂max), low intensity (LI: 20m/min ∼ %50-%55 VO₂max), and sedentary control (SED). Experimental groups completed a 12-week exercise program of treadmill running at 0° slope, 1 h/day, 5 days/week. Since frequency and duration of exercise were identical among training groups, the volume of training was highest in the HI group followed by the MI and LI groups. Compared with SED animals, fasting plasma total and HMW adiponectin and adipose tissue total adiponectin concentrations were significantly higher in the HI and MI groups, but total adiponectin concentrations in liver and soleus muscle were not significantly lower than the SED rats. There were significantly lower plasma total testosterone levels in the HI group vs. SED group. Plasma total and HMW adiponectin were negatively correlated with HOMA-IR and insulin whereas total adiponectin was inversely related to TNF-α and HMW adiponectin was negatively correlated with total testosterone. Thus, data suggest there is a dose effect for exercise training intensity and accompanying volume for the adaptation of adipose tissue and circulating total and HMW adiponectin concentrations, whereas the changes of adiponectin concentrations in skeletal muscle and liver tissue may depend on the body's energy balance in the recovery period.     

Monte Carlo Vadose Zone Model for Soil Remedial Criteria

Many vadose zone models are available for environmental remediation, but few offer the procedures for verifying model predictions with field data and for dealing with uncertainties associated with model input parameters. This article presents a modified model combining a one-dimensional vadose-zone transport model and a simple groundwater mixing model with a function of Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The modified model is applied to determine soil remedial concentrations for methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). The modified model generates a distribution of MTBE ground-water concentrations at the point of compliance. This distribution can be used to estimate the risk of exceeding groundwater quality standard given soil remedial concentrations. In a case study, soil remedial concentration for MTBE is established to be 5?µg/kg, with a 95% and 10?µg/kg with a 50% probability that groundwater concentration will not exceed the water quality objective of 13?µg/L. Furthermore, this study uses MCS to investigate uncertainties of model input parameter hydraulic conductivity (K). One set of data (K1) is based on the results of hydraulic conductivity laboratory tests, and the other (K2) is based on the results of slug tests conducted in the field. As expected, the laboratory data show smaller K values than the field data. The comparison of the MCS results obtained from the two sets of K data indicates that the MTBE groundwater concentrations calculated based on K1 are generally 160 to 625% greater than those calculated based on K2 at the same percentiles of the MCS distribution. A higher soil remedial concentration of9jig/kg is then calculated based on the MCS results from K2 at 95%ile and 19?µg/kg at 50%ile.     

A screen for lethal mutations in the chromosomal region 59AB suggests that bellwether encodes the alpha subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase in Drosophila melanogaster

We report the isolation and complementation mapping of lethal mutations within the 59AB region on the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. The newly induced lethal mutations in this region define four different complementation groups. Using existing and newly induced deficiencies, these loci can be assigned to three different chromosomal intervals. Moreover, complementation analysis with chromosomes carrying various P element insertions, in combination with a molecular characterization of the corresponding insertion sites, suggests that the previously described male sterile mutation bellwether is an allele of an essential gene that encodes the alpha subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase. Received: 25 April 1998 / Accepted: 27 May 1998     

Chromosomal assignment of the nine linkage groups of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) using primary trisomics

 Twenty-four marker loci representing each of the nine linkage groups of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) have been assigned to the nine primary trisomics of Butterfass (1964). Single-copy RFLP probes were hybridized with filter-bound DNA of the trisomics. The autoradiographs were scanned and analyzed by densitometric methods. Statistics on the integrated optical densities of the RFLP bands revealed a clear relationship of each linkage group to a distinct trisomic type. For the first time each of the linkage groups could unequivocally be assigned to one sugar beet chromosome. A standard nomenclature of the 9 chromosomes of sugar beet is suggested and discussed with respect to previous numbering systems. Received: 27 February 1997/Accepted: 7 March 1997