Analysis of hepatic growth hormone binding sites of pregnant rabbit crosslinked to 125I-labelled human growth hormone.
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Biomedical subjects
K Wakai
Publications and source records attributed to K Wakai.
Basic peptide with insulin-like activity in human serum.
A peptide with insulin-like activity was isolated from human plasma. In the purification, insulin-like activity (ILA) was monitored by radioreceptor assay for insulin, using human placental membrane and [125I]-insulin. ILA was extracted from Cohn fraction III with acid-ethanol and chromatographed on Sephadex G-75 in 1% formic acid. When the active fractions were subjected to ion-exchange chromatography with CM-cellulose, the ILA was adsorbed to the column at pH 5.0 and was eluted with a gradient of ammonium acetate. The chromatographic behavior of the ILA was not identical to that of somatomedin A as determined by radioreceptor assay (RRA) for the latter. On isoelectric focusing of the ILA from the CM-cellulose column, insulin-like activity was distributed over a wide pH range. The ILA that was focused at pH 7.5-9.0 was further purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 in 1 M acetic acid. The specific activity of the basic ILA was approximately 200 mU insulin equivalent /mg protein. The apparent molecular weight of the material was estimated to be 7,000. It stimulated [14C]-glucose oxidation in rat epididymal fat cells and had sulfation activity in chick chondrocytes. Furthermore, the basic ILA had a potent mitogenic activity in Balb/c-3T3 cells. Thus, the basic ILA is qualified as an 'insulin-like growth factor' (IGF). It is obviously different from somatomedin A, and may be closely related to IGF-I or somatomedin C. Subsequently, RRA for the basic ILA was developed in serum concentration of the basic ILA were determined. The serum concentrations of the basic ILA were high in acromegalics and low in patients with hypopituitarism. Thus, the basic ILA is entitled to be one of the IGFs.
Chromatography, Gel↗
Lifestyle determinants for social activity levels among the Japanese elderly.
We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey to a total of 5239 elderly persons in four areas in Japan in 1993, which inquired about past lifestyles and present social activities. Based on the survey data, we first developed social activity measures, and then examined associations of the present total social activity measure with past lifestyles and physical conditions. The lifestyles significantly associated with high social activity after 65 years of age were 'high educational attainment'; having been 'healthy', 'plump', 'physically active' and 'having had hobbies' at about 50 years of age; and having 'frequent intake of many kinds of foods' during 30-50 years of age. Intake during 30-50 years of age of Japanese-style foods (rice, soybean paste soup, bean curd, pickles), noodles, beans, plant roots and potatoes was not significantly linked with the social activity levels at old age in either males or females. The same was true for smoking and drinking habits at about 50 years of age. Our findings essentially suggest the importance of a positive attitude at middle age to maintain and promote health status and improve lifestyles in order to attain high social activity at old age.
Journal Article↗
Sleep disturbance and its correlates among elderly Japanese.
Although sleep disturbance is a major public health problem in the elderly, few studies have examined the association between sleep disturbance and other related factors in Japan. We examined correlates of sleep disturbance among Japanese elderly. Participants in this cross-sectional study (255 men and 263 women) were those enrolled in a population-based health examination for 65 year-old residents in N City, Japan in 1996 and 1997. Epidemiological data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Sleep disturbances were assessed by three common symptoms: difficulty in falling asleep, frequent awakening at night and not feeling rested in the morning. The mean sleep duration was longer in men than in women (7.2 vs 6.8 h, P<0.01), and women reported difficulty in falling asleep more frequently than men (22.4 vs 15.3%, P<0.05). Sleep disturbances were associated with low educational attainment, retirement from work, higher body mass index (BMI), irregular bedtime, history of cardiovascular disease, arthritis or joint pain and prostatic hypertrophy, and lower subjective well-being in men, and the use of sleeping pills and depression in both genders, but not with marital status, residential status, smoking habits, exercise, limited instrumental activity of daily living, and past episode of such chronic diseases as hypertension and stroke. Our study suggests a close association of sleep disturbances among elderly Japanese with several medical/psychiatric health problems that are usually more prevalent in such an age group. Our findings emphasize the realistic need for clinicians to take underlying health problems into consideration when their patients complain of sleep-related symptoms.
Journal Article↗