Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie最新文献

Three carbohydrate-binding proteins with relative molecular masses of 35, 67, and 70 kDa (CBP35, CBP67, and CBP70) have been described to be present in nuclei of mammalian cells, where they are associated with nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. CBP35 consists of two domains, an N-terminal domain that is homologous to certain regions of proteins of the heterogeneous nuclear RNP complex, and a C-terminal domain that is homologous to beta-galactoside-specific lectins. CBP35 has been proposed, like the glucose-specific lectin, CBP67, to guide RNP complexes through the nuclear pore. Here, we show that exposition of mature rats (6-8 months old) to stress results in binding of nuclear CBP35 to CBP67 which is retained on a column containing immobilized glucose. In contrast to mature animals, nuclear extracts from the livers of old rats (22-24 months old) displayed no detectable stress response.

After physiological stress older male Wistar rats showed a faster normalization of the corticosterone level in serum and of the concentration of unoccupied glucocorticoid receptors in liver cytosol than young ones, which is contrary to female rats. The nuclei binding of glucocorticoid receptor complexes (GRC) was significantly reduced in older control animals compared with young ones. The nuclei binding of GRC was reduced in young rats until 60 min after stress compared to controls, whereas it had been increasing in older animals at this time. Contrary to female rats, the addition of the endogenous ATP-stimulated translocation promoter (ASTP) alone or together with ATP did not elevate the nuclei binding, but it groups. Crossing experiments using nuclei of controls and GRC of control and stressed animals, resp., seem to disclose a longer association of GRC with the nuclei in old animals than in young ones.

To answer this question it is important to explain the mode of development of the different maximum life span potentials (MLP) during evolution. We know by empiric-historical investigations, that at least later in evolution appearing species of mammals possess a higher MLP. What does then mean a "regular process"? The aging process is a regular one, being a physiologic event, in the character of that what all we can determine at it, as far as it allows explanation and prediction. This did succeed in a high degree during the until now short tradition of experimental gerontology. We refer to experimental results not only from the literature but also from our own work on repair, genetic and metabolic changes and multivariate investigations into the biological age, to decide from two hypotheses of the causes of aging, how the title question can be answered: a) aging as a programmed event, brought about by aging genes, controlled by an intrinsic clock. These genes should restrict life expectancy or the replicative capacity of cells--hence the adaptive hypothesis; b) aging as a consequence of the accumulation of errors counteracted by antibiosenescent strategies (AS)--hence nonadaptive hypotheses, the most plausible one being that of the disposable soma. Later species are adapted better to changing environmental conditions by their other development, their ecological niches are larger, their environment contains specifically lesser dangers and risks, because they better cope with them--therefore it is worth while to spend more energy for the maintenance of their soma than for their reproduction: they develop better and more AS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The present paper formulates "laws" which govern the aging of human beings. The definition of aging is based on the vitality concept. These laws are divided into two classes: collective laws, and individual laws. They attempt to answer the questions: "How do organisms age?", and "Why do organisms age?" Up to now there are only preliminary answers.

Polarization-microscopical measurements combined with silver-staining methods and morphometrical estimations (countings) were used to study the collagen fiber structures of the fibrosa of human atrioventricular valves as well as of the chordae tendineae of the right and left heart with regard to age and sex differences. Measurements and countings were performed on histological sections of the tricuspid valve, bicuspid valve and the chordae tendineae from a total of 87 subjects of both sexes, who were divided into three age groups (1st and 2nd, 3rd to 5th and > 6th decade) with six to seven persons in each group. Differences were found between the right and left atrioventricular valve and analogously between the chordae tendineae of the right and left heart in middle-aged persons with regard to the frequency-distribution H(Q) of the quotients of path differences and the proportion of silver stained collagen fibers as compared to unstained. These differences can be interpreted as an expression of different functional load (low-pressure vs. high-pressure system). Under higher pressure, the proportion of unsilvered fibers with a higher mean value of quotient (mainly assigned to type I collagen) at the expense of the silvered fibers (classified as type III collagen) becomes greater. With advancing age the total amount of collagenous fibers and the proportion of unsilvered fibers increases. Simultaneously, the mean values of the quotients (especially Q (unsilvered)) increase slightly. The study revealed sex differences for the tricuspid valve and the chordae tendineae of the right heart (low-pressure system) only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Studies on the role of the response class "relying on others" in coping with crises and problems in childhood, adolescence, early, middle, and late adulthood, and with situations like grief or dependency point to important psychological aspects in the social support process. These are related especially to the construct of trust which deserves more attention in Behavioral as well as in Social Gerontology.

The nursing home plays an increasing role as domicile in the last period of life. The following investigation is an assessment of the mortality after entering a nursing home, and an analysis of the mental and physical condition of the residents with the goal of being able to differentiate at admission to a nursing home between short-term and long-term "survivors". Of 317 nursing home residents, the initial physical examination upon admission was investigated retrospectively. The nursing home residents were divided into six groups according to their survival time: survival-time up to 1 week, > 1 week to 1 month, > 1 month to 6 month, > 6 month to 1 year, > 1 year to 5 years, and > 5 years. The mean age of the group studied at admission was 80 years; 75% of the residents were transferred from a hospital. On the average, six diseases or chronic disabilities per patient were diagnosed upon admission to the nursing home. The mean survival time was 2.7 years. The initial phase after admission was the most critical period with a high mortality in the first six months (41% of all nursing home residents); of these, 81% had died already within the first month. The assessment criteria, i. e., the level of communicative abilities, orientation, mobility, and urinary/fecal continence, were found to bear a close relation to survival time. Thus, an important prognostic role as "survival predictors" can be ascribed to these factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Research on personality development in the second half of life is reviewed, making a distinction between studies following a trait-oriented and studies using a process-oriented approach. A methodological and theoretical discussion of results not only explains differences in results, it also allows to conclude that the two approaches describe and explain complementary facets of the field. A synthesis between approaches is proposed in order to understand part of the controversy on constancy and change of personality development.

Within the framework of a pilot study 100 inhabitants of homes for the aged in Spain and in Germany were asked for aspects of their life-situation. The results are described under different views of the social and cultural living conditions in both countries, and analyzed for studies comparing Spain and Germany to be planned in the future.

A problem became apparent while analyzing intensive conversation between very "competent" elderly that a) were eye-witnesses of National Socialism in Germany as well as of wartime including the bombardment of larger cities, and b) volunteered to participate in the project as such witnesses. This problem seems worthy of being scrutinized in a sophisticated and systematic fashion: It is methodologically difficult to assess divergent--or even contradictory--information pertaining to the specific subjective foundations of an individual's competence and there are problems with integrating this information to a plausible and tenable statement about their action orientations. This holds especially for the assumptions related to the concept of "locus of control," since this concept could prove itself relevant in regard to a differential intervention strategy as well as for basic research on aging, in which the concept's potential for explaining aspects of the aging process remains to be further clarified. Finally, a possible solution to this assessment problem is presented.