Inverse Association Between Height-Increasing Alleles and Extreme Longevity in Japanese Women.

Growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/insulin signaling is one of the most plausible biological pathways regulating aging and longevity. Previous studies have demonstrated that several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the GH/IGF-1/insulin signaling-associated genes influence both longevity and adult height, suggesting the possibility of a shared genetic architecture between longevity and height. We therefore examined the relationship between 30 height-associated SNPs and extreme longevity in a Japanese population consisting of 428 centenarians and 4,026 younger controls.

Exome-wide Association Study Identifies CLEC3B Missense Variant p.S106G as Being Associated With Extreme Longevity in East Asian Populations.

Life span is a complex trait regulated by multiple genetic and environmental factors; however, the genetic determinants of extreme longevity have been largely unknown. To identify the functional coding variants associated with extreme longevity, we performed an exome-wide association study (EWAS) on a Japanese population by using an Illumina HumanExome Beadchip and a focused replication study on a Chinese population. The EWAS on two independent Japanese cohorts consisting of 530 nonagenarians/centenarians demonstrated that the G allele of CLEC3B missense variant p.

Association between parental history of diabetes and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus differs according to the sex of the parent and offspring's body weight: A finding from a Japanese worksite-based cohort study.

Objective: To investigate differences in the association of parental history of diabetes with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the offspring according to the sex of the parent and the offspring's body weight.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of 4446 middle-aged non-diabetic Japanese men and women were followed in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, from 2002 to 2011. Subjects were categorized by their self-reported parental history of diabetes ("no parental history," "father only," "mother only," and "both").

Secular trend of serum docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid concentrations among Japanese-a 4- and 13-year descriptive epidemiologic study.

Cross-sectional studies have shown age-related increases in blood docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid and decreases in arachidonic acid. We describe serum docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenoic, and arachidonic acid concentrations over 13 years (1997-2012) across four study waves and serum fatty acid composition over 4 years (2006-2012) between two study waves according to age groups by sex in the same subjects. We included 443 men and 435 women aged 40-79 years at baseline.

Descriptive epidemiological study of food intake among Japanese adults: analyses by age, time and birth cohort model.

Background: Although food and nutrient consumption among the Japanese population, known to have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, has changed markedly after World War II, little is known about the influences age, time and birth cohort have had. The present study examined the effects age, time and birth cohort have had on intake of 14 food groups from 1989 to 2009, using published data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan.

Methods: The survey included 575 adults (271 men and 304 women) in 1989, 8431 (3952 men and 4479 women) in 1999 and 5632 (2629 men and 3003 women) in 2009.

Serum docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid and risk of cognitive decline over 10 years among elderly Japanese.

Background/objectives: To clarify the association of serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels with cognitive decline over 10 years.

Subjects/methods: This study was part of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences - Longitudinal Study of Aging, and was conducted with 232 male and 198 female Japanese community-dwelling subjects aged 60-79 years in the second wave (2000-2002). Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in both the second and seventh (2010-2012) waves.

Exploring strategies to alleviate caregiver burden: effects of the National Long-Term Care insurance scheme in Japan.

The ever-increasing population of older people with disabilities, including dementia, has been accompanied by a corresponding growth in the number of family caregivers, who are themselves at risk of developing mental and physical health problems. As a result, the need for practical and effective approaches for alleviating caregiver burden has become a major public health concern. One approach involves the development of public policy initiatives to allow the caregiver burden to be borne partly by society as a whole, rather than falling solely on individuals.

Position-dependent effect of a neural-restrictive silencer-like element present in the promoter downstream of the SCG10-like protein gene.

Neural-restrictive silencer (NRS) has been well characterized in SCG10 and many other neuron-specific genes; it is, however, unknown whether the promoters of the SCLIP and RB3 genes (two other SCG10 family members) share basal transcriptional mechanisms with SCG10 or not. To explore how NRS-mediated neural-specific gene transcription has evolved, we determined the genomic and promoter structures of the SCLIP gene, and found that the gene retained an NRS-like element that functioned as a negative regulator in non-neuronal cells. However, unlike the NRS in the SCG10 gene, this NRS(SCLIP) was located downstream of the transcription start site, and showed a position-dependent repressing activity.

[Advance care planning among the general public in Japan: association with awareness about dementia].

Aim: To explore attitudes towards advance care planning among the general public in Japan and to examine the association between the advance care planning and awareness about dementia.

Methods: We conducted a postal self-administered questionnaire survey in a sample of the general population aged 40 and over and 86% (n=2,161) of the sample were eligible for analysis. The question items included sociodemographic characteristics, awareness about dementia (anxiety about dementia and knowledge about dementia), and advance care planning (decision making on own care preference if extra assistance were required and disclosure of their care preferences to family members).

[Preferred and actual place of death among community-dwelling disabled older people: findings from a survey of visiting nurses].

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between preferred and actual place of death in community-dwelling disabled older people, based on a survey of visiting nurses.

Methods: The present study was a two-year longitudinal study. At Time 1, 398 disabled older people were living together with their family caregivers.

Do family caregivers perceive more difficulty when they look after patients with early onset dementia compared to those with late onset dementia?

Objective: To compare family caregiving situations for patients with early onset dementia (EOD) and late onset dementia (LOD), and to identify the specific problems experienced by relatives caring for EOD patients.

Methods: The participants were chosen from 92 consecutive caregiver-patient dyads, comprising co-residing family caregivers and outpatients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for dementia. The patients were assessed according to cognitive function, neuropsychiatric disturbances and the severity of dementia.

Occlusal tooth wear in female F344/N rats with aging.

Objectives: This study was conducted to ascertain whether laboratory rats are an adequate animal model for aging oral cavity research, especially on occlusal tooth wear (OTW), which progresses with aging and causes abnormal occlusions. Mastication has been reported to relate to cognition in the elderly. Thus, it is important to care for the oral cavity, especially in the frail elderly, for the maintenance of all-round quality of life.

Morphometric comparison of the rat mandible in F344 substrains, F344/Du and F344/N.

The shape of the mandible was compared by morphometric methods to ascertain the genetic differences between two substrains of F344 rats, F344/DuCrlCrlj and F344/NSlc. Since these two substrains are clearly different in survival and the incidence of age associated disorders; thus, some genetic differences are suggested to be present between them. Although previous microsatellite analysis did not detect any differences between the two F344 substrains, the present study clearly detected interesting differences in the mandible morphology.

Comparison of rat mandible bone characteristics in F344 substrains, F344/Du and F344/N.

The characteristics of the mandible bone were compared through DXA methods between two major substrains of F344 rats, F344/DuCrlCrlj and F344/NSlc at around 60 days of age. Since these two substrains are clearly different in survival and mandible morphology, some genetic differences are supposed to exist. In contrast to a previous microsatellite analysis, clear and significant differences were detected in the body and mandible weights, the mandible bone mineral contents (BMC), bone area (AREA), bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral ratio (BMR), between F344/DuCrlCrlj and F344/NSlc, with the mandible molar teeth intact in the bone.

Factors related to potentially harmful behaviors towards disabled older people by family caregivers in Japan.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine factors related to potentially harmful behaviors (PHB) by family caregivers towards their older family members.

Methods: Four hundred and twelve pairs of disabled older adults and their family caregivers participated in the study. All of these disabled older adults were users of visiting nursing services under the public Long-Term Care insurance system, who resided in one of the eight catchment areas of visiting nursing services in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

Use of home care services effectively reduces feelings of burden among family caregivers of disabled elderly in Japan: preliminary results.

Background: Relatively few observational studies have been conducted on the impact of home care services on burden or other aspects of the caregiver's experience.

Objectives: To examine whether the use of care services reduces the feelings of burden among family caregivers in Japan. Specifically, the study was aimed at testing the following three hypotheses: (1) The severity of impairment and the dementia among the disabled elderly increases the feelings of burden among family caregivers and the support from family members decreases burden: (2) the amount of services used by older people and their caregivers is affected by the severity of dementia and ADL deficiencies among the disabled elderly and the amount of support from family members: and (3) controlling for severity, the use of care services under the LTC insurance program serves to reduce the feelings of burden among family caregivers.

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) knockout mice as a model of osteopenia due to impaired bone formation.

ATM is a member of the PI-3 kinase protein family, encoded by the gene, ATM, responsible for ataxia telangiectasia (AT). AT is recognized as a genomic instability syndrome, sharing accelerated senescence symptoms in human and mouse. Here, we present evidence that the bone phenotype of Atm knockout (AtmKO) mice is similar to that observed in disuse and/or aging syndromes.

Detection of osteoclastic cell-cell fusion through retroviral vector packaging.

Cell-cell fusion generates multinucleated cells such as osteoclasts in bone, myotubes in muscle, and trophoblasts in placenta. Molecular details governing these fusion processes are still largely unknown. As a step toward identification of fusogenic genes, we tested the concept that retroviral vectors can be packaged as a result of cell-cell fusion.

Effects of aging and caloric restriction on the gene expression of Foxo1, 3, and 4 (FKHR, FKHRL1, and AFX) in the rat skeletal muscles.

In C. elegans, insulin-like hormone signal pathway plays a significant role in longevity. In particular, daf-16 gene product is indispensable factor for this lifespan-extension.

Chk2-deficient mice exhibit radioresistance and defective p53-mediated transcription.

The mammalian Chk2 kinase is thought to mediate ATM-dependent signaling in response to DNA damage. The physiological role of mammalian Chk2 has now been investigated by the generation of Chk2-deficient mice. Although Chk2(-/-) mice appeared normal, they were resistant to ionizing radiation (IR) as a result of the preservation of splenic lymphocytes.

Patterns of outcome of caregiving for the impaired elderly: a longitudinal study in rural Japan.

This longitudinal study investigates the experiences among Japanese caregivers who provide informal care at home to the impaired elderly over one year. Little is known about longitudinal changes in caregivers' burden in Japan. Between 1998-1999, 47 pairs of impaired elderly and their caregivers were followed in Matsuyama Town in a rural area of northern Japan.

Effect of age on the gene expression of neural-restrictive silencing factor NRSF/REST.

Aging affects a wide range of gene expression changes in the nervous system. Such effects could be attributed to random changes in the environment with age around each gene, but also could be caused by selective changes in a limited set of key regulatory transcription factors and/or chromatin remodeling components. To approach the question of whether neural-restrictive silencer factor NRSF, a key determinant of the neuron-specific gene expression, is involved in these changes, we examined the levels of NRSF in the rat brain and dosal root ganglia during aging by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (RT-PCR).

Adrenal glands in small smooth-tailed tree shrew (Dendrogale murina).

Adrenal glands of small smooth-tailed tree shrews (Dendrogale murina), four males and two females, caught and fixed in Thailand were observed macroscopically and histologically. They were located at the cranio-medial sides of the kidney. They were elongated in shape and consisted of a cortex and medulla.

A unique method for predicting cardiorespiratory fitness using rating of perceived exertion.

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple and convenient indirect method for estimating maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) by using workrate and a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during a submaximal graded cycling test (GCTsubmax). One hundred and fifty-four healthy Japanese men, aged 20 to 64 years, volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups, a validation (V) group (n = 100) and a cross-validation (CV) group (n = 54).