Is Self-Rated Health an Independent Index for Mortality among Older People in Indonesia?

Background

Empirical studies on the association between self-rated health (SRH) and subsequent mortality are generally lacking in low- and middle-income countries. The evidence on whether socio-economic status and education modify this association is inconsistent. This study aims to fill these gaps using longitudinal data from a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site in Indonesia.

Methods

In 2010, we assessed the mortality status of 11,753 men and women aged 50+ who lived in Purworejo HDSS and participated in the INDEPTH WHO SAGE baseline in 2007. Information on self-rated health, socio-demographic indicators, disability and chronic disease were collected through face-to-face interview at baseline. We used Cox-proportional hazards regression for mortality and included all variables measured at baseline, including interaction terms between SRH and both education and socio-economic status (SES).

Results

During an average of 36 months follow-up, 11% of men and 9.5% of women died, resulting in death rates of 3.1 and 2.6 per 1,000 person-months, respectively. The age-adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) for mortality was 17% higher in men than women (HR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.04–1.31). After adjustment for covariates, the hazard ratios for mortality in men and women reporting bad health were 3.0 (95% CI = 2.0–4.4) and 4.9 (95% CI = 3.2–7.4), respectively. Education and SES did not modify this association for either sex.

Conclusions

This study supports the predictive power of bad self-rated health for subsequent mortality in rural Indonesian men and women 50 years old and over. In these analyses, education and household socio-economic status do not modify the relationship between SRH and mortality. This means that older people who rate their own health poorly should be an important target group for health service interventions.     

Effect of periplasmic expression of recombinant mouse interleukin-4 on hydrogen peroxide concentration and catalase activity in Escherichia coli

Oxidative stress occurs as a result of imbalance between generation and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This kind of stress was rarely discussed in connection with foreign protein production in Escherichia coli. Relation between cytoplasmic recombinant protein expression with H₂O₂ concentration and catalase activity variation was already reported. The periplasmic space of E. coli has different oxidative environment in relative to cytoplasm and there are some benefits in periplasmic expression of recombinant proteins. In this study, hydrogen peroxide concentration and catalase activity following periplasmic expression of mouse IL-4 were measured in E. coli. After construction of pET2mIL4 plasmid, the expression of recombinant mouse interleukin-4 (mIL-4) was confirmed. Then, the H₂O₂ concentration and catalase activity variation in the cells were studied in exponential and stationary phases at various ODs and were compared to those of wild type cells and empty vector transformed cells. It was revealed that empty vector introduction and periplasmic recombinant protein expression increased significantly the H₂O₂ concentration of the cells. However, the H₂O₂ concentration in mIL-4 expressing cells was significantly higher than its concentration in empty vector transformed cells, demonstrating more effects of recombinant mIL-4 expression on H₂O₂ elevation. Likewise, although catalase activity was reduced in foreign DNA introduced cells, it was more lowered following expression of recombinant proteins. Correlation between H₂O₂ concentration elevation and catalase activity reduction with cell growth depletion is also demonstrated. It was also found that recombinant protein expression results in cell size increase.     

1,3-Dipropyl-8-(1-phenylacetamide-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-xanthine derivatives as highly potent and selective human A(2B) adenosine receptor antagonists

A new series of 1,3-dipropyl-8-(1-phenylacetamide-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-xanthine derivatives has been identified as potent A(2B) adenosine receptor antagonists. The products have been evaluated for their binding affinities for the human A(2B), A(1), A(2A), and A(3) adenosine receptors. N-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2-[3-(2,6-dioxo-1,3-dipropyl-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-purin-8-yl)-5-methyl-pyrazol-1-yl] (11c) showed a high affinity for the human A(2B) adenosine receptor K(i)=7nM and good selectivity (A(1), A(2A), A(3)/A(2B)>140). Synthesis and SAR of this novel class of compounds is presented herein.     

Purification and characterization of the integrase from the Haemophilus influenzae bacteriophage HP1; identification of a four-stranded intermediate and the order of strand exchange

The integrase encoded by the temperate phage HP1 promotes the site-specific recombination between DNA sites on its genome (the attP site) and on the genome of the host Haemophilus influenzae (the attB site). The protein has been overproduced in Escherichia coli , and purified to apparent homogeneity. HP1 integrase promotes recombination of supercoiled attP -containing molecules with linear segments with attB sites. Reaction was enhanced by spermidine and by the bacterial DNA-bending protein integration host factor. The rate of recombination showed complex and related dependence upon the integrase concentration and the concentration of the supercoiled attP substrate. These relationships probably originate from the need to assemble a multi-protein complex on the attP DNA. The reaction promoted by HP1 integrase produced a four-stranded initial reaction product in which one pair of DNA strands had undergone transfer while the other pair remained intact. This four-stranded component was produced more rapidly than any product, and its steady-state level was proportional to the overall rate of reaction. This component had the kinetic and structural properties of an intermediate in the recombination reaction. The existence of this intermediate was used to determine that the two strand exchanges required for recombination of the duplex substrates proceed in a defined order.     

DNA binding affinity of a macrocyclic copper(II) complex: Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies

The interaction of a novel macrocyclic copper(II) complex, ([CuL(ClO₄)₂] that L is 1,3,6,10,12,15-hexaazatricyclo[13.3.1.1^6,10]eicosane) with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) was investigated by various physicochemical techniques and molecular docking at simulated physiological conditions (pH = 7.4). The absorption spectra of the Cu(II) complex with ct-DNA showed a marked hyperchroism with 10 nm blue shift. The intrinsic binding constant (K_b) was determined as 1.25 × 10⁴ M^?1, which is more in keeping with the groove binding with DNA. Furthermore, competitive fluorimetric studies with Hoechst33258 have shown that Cu(II) complex exhibits the ability to displace the ct-DNA-bound Hoechst33258 indicating that it binds to ct-DNA in strong competition with Hoechst33258 for the groove binding. Also, no change in the relative viscosity of ct-DNA and fluorescence intensity of ct-DNA-MB complex in the present of Cu(II) complex is another evidence to groove binding. The thermodynamic parameters are calculated by van't Hoff equation, which demonstrated that hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions played major roles in the binding reaction. The experimental results were in agreement with the results obtained via molecular docking study.     

Evaluation of the Impacts of Long-Term Enriched Artemia with Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance,Reproduction, Intestinal Microflora,and Resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of Ornamental Fish Poecilia latipinna

The present study investigated the effect of enriched Artemia with Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, reproductive factors, proximate composition, intestinal microflora, and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of ornamental fish, Poecilia latipinna. Using a completely randomized design, the experiment included three groups. The first group was fed with commercial food without any probiotic. The second group was fed with unenriched Artemia, and the last group consumed long-time enriched Artemia with Bacillus subtilis. The bacteria B. subtilis with a density of 1 × 10⁵ CFU mL⁻¹ was added daily to Artemia culture medium. The total microflora and Bacillus subtilis counts were significantly increased in enriched Artemia compared to the unenriched group (P < 0.05). In fish fed groups, growth factors did not show any significant difference (P > 0.05). The maximum relative fecundity (28.65 ± 2.52 egg number g⁻¹), fry production (62.93 ± 4.6 individual per female), and fry survival (70.97 ± 1.56%) obtained in the third group were found to be significantly more than those in the first and the second groups. Moreover, intestinal bacterial count for Bacillus revealed that the higher concentration of bacteria was significantly related to the third group (6.24 ± 0.11 log CFU g⁻¹) (P < 0.05). Maximum protein and fat contents were observed in fish fed with Bacillus-enriched Artemia; however, no significant difference was found between control and unenriched Artemia groups (P > 0.05). The highest amount of ash was observed in fish fed with commercial food without any probiotic (P < 0.05). At the end of the feeding period, each of the three groups along with positive group (oxytetracycline 100 mg kg⁻¹ of commercial food) was exposed to A. hydrophila (BCCM5/LMG3770) bacteria intraperitoneally. Based on the results, the lowest cumulative mortality was significantly found in group three (68.75 ± 3.6%) and positive group (62.5 ± 7.0%) compared to control and unenriched Artemia groups (P < 0.05). Hence, B. subtilis with a concentration of 1 × 10⁵ CFU mL⁻¹ during the period of Artemia culturing can improve the reproductive parameters, intestinal microflora, and resistance to pathogenic bacteria of Poecilia latipinna.

     

Effects of Co-Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobia on Fungal Occupancy in Chickpea Root and Nodule Determined by Real-Time PCR

Legume roots in nature are usually colonized with rhizobia and different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species. Light microscopy that visualizes the presence of AMF in roots is not able to differentiate the ratio of each AMF species in the root and nodule tissues in mixed fungal inoculation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the dominant species of mycorrhiza in roots and nodules of plants co-inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobial strains. Glomus intraradices (GI), Glomus mosseae (GM), their mix (GI + GM), and six Mesorhizobium ciceri strains were used to inoculate chickpea. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess occupancy of these fungal species in roots and nodules. Results showed that GI molecular ratio and relative density were higher than GM in both roots and nodules. These differences in molecular ratio and density between GI and GM in nodules were three folds higher than roots. The results suggested that M. ciceri strains have different effects on nodulation and mycorrhizal colonization pattern. Plants with bacterial S3 and S1 strains produced the highest root nodulation and higher fungal density in both the roots and nodules.