Serum Albumin Level and Activities of Daily Living in Centenarians Hiroyuki Nozaki1), Yumiko Nohara2), Ikuya Ashitomi2), Ryoko Zukeran2), Tetsuya Inafuku2), Masafumi Akisaka1) and Makoto Suzuki1) The relationship between serum albumin level and activities of daily living was studied in 95 centenarians. There were 73 women (12 rank J: free-living, 18 rank A: unable to go outside without help, 20 rank B: bedridden but able to sit on the bed, 23 rank C: completely bedridden) and 22 men (9 rank J, 7 rank A, 6 rank B or C). nificantly lower than that of rank J men. The A/G ratio or albumin fraction (%) measured by serum electrophoresis was similar to that of the serum albumin level of centenarians of both sexes. There were no significant differences in the serum protein level or in the peripheral hemoglobin level between rank J centenarians and those of other ranks, for both sexes. The serum albumin level is a valuable indicator of the ability to perform activities of daily living and may be a useful prognostic index in centenarians.

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The renal cortex, later proved by histology to be free of carcinoma, was obtained from the kidneys of 9 patients undergoing nephrectomy for hypernephroma or ureteral carcinoma. The cortex was homogenized in a cold 50mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5, and centrifuged at 800 X g. Supernatants (1.8 mg protein, referred to as "homogenate") were enriched with 2 micrograms of T4 and were incubated for varying periods at different temperatures. The T3 and rT3 formed were extracted into ethanol and measured by RIA. Reaction mixtures contained 5mM dithiothreitol, without which formation of T3 and rT3 from T4 was negligible. The production of T3 and rT3 from T4 was abolished by prior heating of the homogenate to 56 degrees C for 30 min. In fresh homogenates, the production of T3 and rT3 increased with an increased concentration of homogenate (0.2-1.8 mg protein), increased incubation temperature up to 37 degrees C, increased incubation time up to 60 min, and increased T4 concentration up to 8 micrograms/tub. T3 production from T4 was near maximal at pH 6.5 and rT3 production at pH 10. At the standard pH of 7.5, rates of net T3 and rT3 production were 58 and 45%, respectively, of those at the optimum pH. Degradation of rT3 was rapid, while degradation of T3 was negligible. Both T3 and rT3 production from T4 were inhibited in a dose dependent manner by ipodate, propylthiouracil and salicylate. The apparent Km values for monodeiodination of T4 to T3 was 10 microM. Among the usual subcellular fractions of the kidney homogenate, microsomes were most potent in deiodinating T4 to T3 and to rT3. These results indicate that the human renal cortex contains the enzymes generating T3 and rT3 from T4.

Six 16 months old Holstein steers were offered ad libitum feed for 7 months, to determine the (1) relationships of backfat thickness (BFT) to plasma leptin, and insulin; and (2) associations of TDN intake/kg body weight (BW) to plasma leptin, BFT and insulin. Feed intake, body weight and BFT were measured on selected monthly ages from day 1 to 8, day 1 and 8, and day 8, respectively. Blood was sampled on day 8 and the plasma was analyzed for leptin, insulin, glucose, NEFA, total cholesterol and triglyceride. Body weight and BFT increased, while TDN intake per kg BW decreased from 16 to 23 months old. Plasma leptin increased and mimicked the level of insulin, resulting to significant correlation (r=0.54; p<0.002). TDN intake was negatively related to plasma leptin (r=0.49; p<0.004), insulin (r=0.41; p<0.02) and BFT at 12 to 13th rib (r=0.48; p<0.005). Backfat thickness at 12 to 13th rib was positively related to plasma leptin (r=0.45; p<0.01). Negative associations of TDN intake with plasma leptin and BFT during finishing period suggest long-term involvement of adipose tissues in the feed intake regulation of steers fed high concentrate diet.

We investigated gender difference in the effects of chronic exposure to human growth hormone (hGH) on cardiac risk biomarkers using transgenic mice with non-pulsatile circulating hGH. Blood plasma was obtained from transgenic and control mice at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, and was used for the measurement of hGH and the following cardiac risk biomarkers: total cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), HDL cholesterol (HDL), LDL cholesterol (LDL), non esterified free fatty acids (NEFA), and lipid peroxides (LPO