Coping strategies and risk of cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality: the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study.

AIMS: Coping strategies may be significantly associated with health outcomes. This is the first study to investigate the association between baseline coping strategies and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in a general population cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study asked questions on coping in its third follow-up survey (2000-04). Analyses on CVD incidence and mortality included 57 017 subjects aged 50-79 without a history of CVD and who provided complete answers on approach- and avoidance-oriented coping behaviours and strategies. Cox regression models, adjusted for confounders, were used to determine hazard ratios (HRs) according to coping style. Mean follow-up time was 7.9 years for incidence and 8.0 years for mortality.The premorbid use of an approach-oriented coping strategy was inversely associated with incidence of stroke (HR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-1.00) and CVD mortality (HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.55-0.99). Stroke subtype analyses revealed an inverse association between the approach-oriented coping strategy and incidence of ischaemic stroke (HR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64-0.98) and a positive association between the combined coping strategy and incidence of intra-parenchymal haemorrhage (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.01-4.10). Utilizing an avoidance coping strategy was associated with increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) only in hypertensive individuals (HR = 3.46; 95% CI, 1.07-11.18). The coping behaviours fantasizing and positive reappraisal were associated with increased risk of CVD incidence (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.50) and reduced risk of IHD mortality (HR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40-0.99), respectively. CONCLUSION: An approach-oriented coping strategy, i.e. proactively dealing with sources of stress, may be associated with significantly reduced stroke incidence and CVD mortality in a Japanese population-based cohort.

Association between the Mediterranean Diet Score and Healthy Life Expectancy: A Global Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVES: Extending healthy life expectancy (HALE), defined as the average number of years that a person can expect to live in "full health" by taking into account years lived in less than full health due to disease and/or injury, is a common topic worldwide. This study aims to clarify the relationships between the Mediterranean diet score (MDS) and life expectancy (LE) and HALE globally using publicly available international data. SETTING: Analyses were conducted on 130 countries with populations of 1 million or more for which all data were available. Individual countries were scored from 0 to 9 to indicate adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to the MDS scoring method. The supply of vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts, cereals, fish, and olive oil per 1,000 kcal per country was calculated based on the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database, with a score of 1 for above the median and 0 for below. The same method was used to calculate scores of presumed detrimental components (meat and dairy), with consumption below the median given a value of 1, and consumption above the median given a value of 0. For ethanol, a score of 1 was given for 10g to 50 g of consumption. We investigated the cross-sectional associations between the MDS and LE and HALE at birth in 2009, and the longitudinal associations between the MDS in 2009 and LE and HALE between 2009 and 2019, controlling for covariates at baseline using linear mixed models. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional analysis, the MDS was significantly positively associated with LE (ß=0.906 [95% confidence interval, 0.065-1.747], p=0.037) and HALE (ß=0.875 [0.207-1.544], p=0.011) after controlling for all covariates. The longitudinal analysis also revealed significantly positive associations between the MDS and LE (0.621 [0.063-1.178], p=0.030) and HALE (0.694 [0.227-1.161], p=0.004) after controlling for all covariates. CONCLUSION: The present study, based on an analysis using 10 years of international data, showed that countries with a higher MDS showed a positive association with HALE.

Distinct effects of fatty acids on translocation of gamma- and epsilon-subspecies of protein kinase C.

Effects of fatty acids on translocation of the gamma- and epsilon-subspecies of protein kinase C (PKC) in living cells were investigated using their proteins fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP). gamma-PKC-GFP and epsilon-PKC-GFP predominated in the cytoplasm, but only a small amount of gamma-PKC-GFP was found in the nucleus. Except at a high concentration of linoleic acid, all the fatty acids examined induced the translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane within 30 s with a return to the cytoplasm in 3 min, but they had no effect on gamma-PKC-GFP in the nucleus. Arachidonic and linoleic acids induced slow translocation of epsilon-PKC-GFP from the cytoplasm to the perinuclear region, whereas the other fatty acids (except for palmitic acid) induced rapid translocation to the plasma membrane. The target site of the slower translocation of epsilon-PKC-GFP by arachidonic acid was identified as the Golgi network. The critical concentration of fatty acid that induced translocation varied among the 11 fatty acids tested. In general, a higher concentration was required to induce the translocation of epsilon-PKC-GFP than that of gamma-PKC-GFP, the exceptions being tridecanoic acid, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid. Furthermore, arachidonic acid and the diacylglycerol analogue (DiC8) had synergistic effects on the translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP. Simultaneous application of arachidonic acid (25 MicroM) and DiC8 (10 microM) elicited a slow, irreversible translocation of gamma-PKC- GFP from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane after rapid, reversible translocation, but a single application of arachidonic acid or DiC8 at the same concentration induced no translocation. These findings confirm the involvement of fatty acids in the translocation of gamma- and epsilon-PKC, and they also indicate that each subspecies has a specific targeting mechanism that depends on the extracellular signals and that a combination of intracellular activators alters the target site of PKCs.

Direct visualization of the translocation of the gamma-subspecies of protein kinase C in living cells using fusion proteins with green fluorescent protein.

We expressed the gamma-subspecies of protein kinase C (gamma-PKC) fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) in various cell lines and observed the movement of this fusion protein in living cells under a confocal laser scanning fluorescent microscope. gamma-PKC-GFP fusion protein had enzymological properties very similar to that of native gamma-PKC. The fluorescence of gamma-PKC- GFP was observed throughout the cytoplasm in transiently transfected COS-7 cells. Stimulation by an active phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate [TPA]) but not by an inactive phorbol ester (4alpha-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate) induced a significant translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP from cytoplasm to the plasma membrane. A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore, induced a more rapid translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP than TPA. The A23187-induced translocation was abolished by elimination of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+. TPA- induced translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP was unidirected, while Ca2+ ionophore-induced translocation was reversible; that is, gamma-PKC-GFP translocated to the membrane returned to the cytosol and finally accumulated as patchy dots on the plasma membrane. To investigate the significance of C1 and C2 domains of gamma-PKC in translocation, we expressed mutant gamma-PKC-GFP fusion protein in which the two cysteine rich regions in the C1 region were disrupted (designated as BS 238) or the C2 region was deleted (BS 239). BS 238 mutant was translocated by Ca2+ ionophore but not by TPA. In contrast, BS 239 mutant was translocated by TPA but not by Ca2+ ionophore. To examine the translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP under physiological conditions, we expressed it in NG-108 cells, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-transfected COS-7 cells, or CHO cells expressing metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (CHO/mGluR1 cells). In NG-108 cells , K+ depolarization induced rapid translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP. In NMDA receptor-transfected COS-7 cells, application of NMDA plus glycine also translocated gamma-PKC-GFP. Furthermore, rapid translocation and sequential retranslocation of gamma-PKC-GFP were observed in CHO/ mGluR1 cells on stimulation with the receptor. Neither cytochalasin D nor colchicine affected the translocation of gamma-PKC-GFP, indicating that translocation of gamma-PKC was independent of actin and microtubule. gamma-PKC-GFP fusion protein is a useful tool for investigating the molecular mechanism of gamma-PKC translocation and the role of gamma-PKC in the central nervous system.

Traditional Japanese Diet Score - Association with Obesity, Incidence of Ischemic Heart Disease, and Healthy Life Expectancy in a Global Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVES: We created a Traditional Japanese Diet Score (TJDS), and to clarify the relationship between TJDS and obesity, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and healthy life expectancy (HALE). DESIGN: Ecological study. SETTING: Food (g/day/capita) and energy (kcal/day/capita) supply was determined using the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division database. The sum of characteristic traditional Japanese foods (beneficial food components in the Japanese diet: rice, fish, soybeans, vegetables, eggs, and seaweeds; food components rarely used in the Japanese diet: wheat, milk, and red meat) was divided as tertiles (beneficial food components: -1, 0, 1; rarely used food components: 1, 0, -1). Obesity rate was determined using the World Health Organization database. Incidence of IHD, HALE and smoking rate were determined using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 database. Gross domestic product per capita, percentage of population > 65 years old, and health expenditure were determined using the World Bank database. Education years were obtained from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Statistics. Associations between TJDS and obesity, IHD and HALE were examined in 132 countries with a population of 1 million or greater using a general linear model controlled for co-variables. RESULTS: TJDS was distributed from -6 to 7. TJDS was inversely correlated to obesity (ß±SE; -0.70±0.19, p<0.001), IHD (-19.4±4.3, p<0.001), and positively correlated to HALE (0.40±0.14, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TJDS is a good indicator of a healthy diet, and applies to preventing obesity, IHD and extending HALE.

Coagulation and fibrinolytic systems during liver regeneration in the early period after adult living related partial liver transplantation.

In this study, we investigated the differences in the perioperative blood coagulation and fibrinolytic systems (BCF) between donor and recipient after adult living related partial liver transplantation (ALRPLT), with particular reference to serum plasminogen-activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and soluble fibinogen level. The BCF were unstable in the recipient compared with the donor. The recipient fibrinolytic system was the same as the donor system except for PAI-1, which was remarkably increased on day 1 after transplantation in the recipient. The recipient is thought to have disseminated intravascular coagulation in the early period after ALRPLT. Soluble fibrinogen may be a useful marker for improvement in the BCF system. The elevation of PAI-1 in recipients on day 1 after transplantation may be a marker of injury from the shear stress from excessive portal hypertension after ALRPLT.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C is a prognostic indicator in esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Vascular endothelial growth factor plays an important role in angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor-C is concerned with lymphangiogenesis. METHODOLOGY: The present study employed immunostaining to investigate the relationship between expression of these factors and clinicopathologic findings in 100 patients with esophageal cancer. RESULTS: Fifty-six of the 100 tumors (56%) showed expressed vascular endothelial growth factor and 43 tumors (43%) expressed of vascular endothelial growth factor-C. Expression of the latter was correlated with the depth of tumor invasion (p=0.0095), lymphatic invasion (p=0.0065), lymph node metastasis (p=0.0l34). The prognosis was significantly worse for patients with tumors positive for vascular endothelial growth factor-C than for those with negative tumors (p=0.036). In contrast, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor was not correlated with the prognosis. Microvessel density was significantly higher in tumors expressing vascular endothelial growth factor-C compared with negative tumors (p=0.0014). Stepwise multivariate analysis with Cox's proportional hazards model identified gender (p=0.0420), age (p=0.0192), vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression (p=0.0286), and lymphatic invasion (p=0.0030) as prognostic determinants. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C is related to lymphatic invasion and is a prognostic indicator for esophageal cancer.

Knockout of histamine receptor H3 alters adaptation to sudden darkness and monoamine levels in the zebrafish.

AIM: Histamine receptor H3 (HRH3) has substantial neuropharmacological potential. Currently, knockout models of this receptor have been investigated only in mice. We characterized the expression of this receptor in the zebrafish and generated a zebrafish HRH3 knockout line. Using this model, we studied the role of HRH3 in important behaviours. We also analysed the effect of HRH3 knockout on monoaminergic systems, which has not been thoroughly studied in any animal model. METHODS: Generation of a mutant zebrafish line using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Analysis of locomotor and social behaviour. Expression of HRH3 was characterized using in situ hybridization. Analysis of monoamine networks using HPLC, immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR. RESULTS: We found that HRH3 knockout zebrafish larvae showed a shorter period of increased locomotion after a sudden onset of darkness, while the knockout larvae had a wild-type-like acute response to sudden darkness. Adult knockout fish showed decreased swimming velocity, although locomotor activity of knockout larvae was unaltered. Additionally, levels of dopamine and serotonin were significantly decreased in the knockout fish, while monoamine-related gene expression and immunohistochemistry patterns were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that HRH3 knockout larvae adapt faster to sudden darkness, suggesting a role for this receptor in regulating responses to changes in the environment. The decreased levels of dopamine and serotonin provide the first direct evidence that knockout of HRH3 alters these systems.

Subtype-specific translocation of the delta subtype of protein kinase C and its activation by tyrosine phosphorylation induced by ceramide in HeLa cells.

We investigated the functional roles of ceramide, an intracellular lipid mediator, in cell signaling pathways by monitoring the intracellular movement of protein kinase C (PKC) subtypes fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) in HeLa living cells. C(2)-ceramide but not C(2)-dihydroceramide induced translocation of delta PKC-GFP to the Golgi complex, while alpha PKC- and zeta PKC-GFP did not respond to ceramide. The Golgi-associated delta PKC-GFP induced by ceramide was further translocated to the plasma membrane by phorbol ester treatment. Ceramide itself accumulated to the Golgi complex where delta PKC was translocated by ceramide. Gamma interferon also induced the delta PKC-specific translocation from the cytoplasm to the Golgi complex via the activation of Janus kinase and Mg(2+)-dependent neutral sphingomyelinase. Photobleaching studies showed that ceramide does not evoke tight binding of delta PKC-GFP to the Golgi complex but induces the continuous association and dissociation of delta PKC with the Golgi complex. Ceramide inhibited the kinase activity of delta PKC-GFP in the presence of phosphatidylserine and diolein in vitro, while the kinase activity of delta PKC-GFP immunoprecipitated from ceramide-treated cells was increased. The immunoprecipitated delta PKC-GFP was tyrosine phosphorylated after ceramide treatment. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor abolished the ceramide-induced activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of delta PKC-GFP. These results suggested that gamma interferon stimulation followed by ceramide generation through Mg(2+)-dependent sphingomyelinase induced delta PKC-specific translocation to the Golgi complex and that translocation results in delta PKC activation through tyrosine phosphorylation of the enzyme.

Three distinct mechanisms for translocation and activation of the delta subspecies of protein kinase C.

We expressed delta subspecies of protein kinase C (delta-PKC) fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) in CHO-K1 cells and observed the movement of this fusion protein in living cells after three different stimulations. The delta-PKC-GFP fusion protein had enzymological characteristics very similar to those of the native delta-PKC and was present throughout the cytoplasm in CHO-K1 cells. ATP at 1 mM caused a transient translocation of delta-PKC-GFP to the plasma membrane approximately 30 s after the stimulation and a sequent retranslocation to the cytoplasm within 3 min. A tumor-promoting phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA; 1 microM), induced a slower translocation of delta-PKC-GFP, and the translocation was unidirectional. Concomitantly, the kinase activity of delta-PKC-GFP was increased by these two stimulations, when the kinase activity of the immunoprecipitated delta-PKC-GFP was measured in vitro in the absence of PKC activators such as phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2; 5 mM) failed to translocate delta-PKC-GFP but increased its kinase activity more than threefold. delta-PKC-GFP was strongly tyrosine phosphorylated when treated with H2O2 but was tyrosine phosphorylated not at all by ATP stimulation and only slightly by TPA treatment. Both TPA and ATP induced the translocation of delta-PKC-GFP even after treatment with H2O2. Simultaneous treatment with TPA and H2O2 further activated delta-PKC-GFP up to more than fivefold. TPA treatment of cells overexpressing delta-PKC-GFP led to an increase in the number of cells in G2/M phase and of dikaryons, while stimulation with H2O2 increased the number of cells in S phase and induced no significant change in cell morphology. These results indicate that at least three different mechanisms are involved in the translocation and activation of delta-PKC.

Number of positive lymph nodes independently affects long-term survival after resection in patients with ampullary carcinoma.

AIM: The nodal status is an established prognostic factor in ampullary carcinoma. The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic power of the anatomic location of positive nodes with that of the number of positive nodes. METHODS: Of 73 consecutive patients treated for ampullary carcinoma, 62 underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with regional lymphadenectomy. A survival analysis of these 62 patients by nodal status was conducted retrospectively. A total of 1942 lymph nodes taken from the patients were examined histologically for metastasis. The location of positive regional nodes was classified into 4 categories, according to the Japanese staging system. The number of positive regional nodes was recorded for each patient. The median follow-up period was 124 months. RESULTS: Nodal disease was found in 31 patients, of whom 23 had 1-3 positive regional nodes and 8 had >or=4 positive regional nodes. Univariate analysis revealed that both the location (p<0.0001) and the number (p<0.0001) of positive nodes were significant prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that the number of positive nodes was an independent prognostic factor (p=0.007), while the location failed to remain as an independent variable. The median survival time was 59 months with a 5-year survival rate of 48% in patients with 1-3 positive nodes, whereas all patients with >or=4 positive nodes died of the disease within 29 months of resection (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: The number, not the location, of positive regional lymph nodes independently affects long-term survival after resection in patients with ampullary carcinoma.

Primary reattachment of avulsed skin flaps with negative pressure wound therapy in degloving injuries of the lower extremity.

Large avulsed skin flaps of the lower extremity caused by degloving injuries eventually develop skin necrosis in most cases. The current treatment option involves excision of the degloved skin and reapplication as a full- or split-thickness skin graft. We considered that reattachment of avulsed skin flaps without excision would be theoretically beneficial, since some circulation may remain around the connected pedicle and thus facilitate graft take. Furthermore, securing the skin to the original anatomic position is much easier using retained landmarks. We treated a total of 12 patients (13 cases) with degloving injuries of the lower extremity. In all cases, the avulsed skin flap was defatted and sewn back to the original position, then negative-pressure wound therapy was applied over those grafts as a bolster for approximately 7 days. Most of the avulsed skin flap took excellently, particularly close to the connected pedicle. Nine cases did not need any additional surgical procedures. Four cases required secondary skin graft for a small area of open wound due to partial necrosis of the defatted skin, as well as the raw surface left by the primary skin defect in the initial operation. Primary reattachment of the avulsed skin flaps without excision is convenient and efficient to cover the open wound over the exposed fascia and periosteum in degloving injuries. This would potentially offer a better alternative to definitive wound closure.

Elevated levels of transforming growth factor beta messenger RNA and its polypeptide in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Malignant cells in culture express elevated levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) mRNA and secrete an abundant amount of TGF-beta protein, but little is known about the production of TGF-beta in human malignant tissues in vivo. We estimated the levels of TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression by Northern hybridization and measured TGF-beta protein using a radioreceptor assay in tumor tissues surgically obtained from six patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TGF-beta 1 mRNA was expressed at much higher levels in HCC tissues from all the cases compared with normal human liver, suggesting an association of the activated TGF-beta 1 gene transcription with hepatocarcinogenesis. The content of TGF-beta was 207 +/- 121 ng/g wet tissue in the HCC tissue, and it showed correlation with the level of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in the tissue (r = 0.69; P less than 0.05). An immunohistochemical study demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 staining could be observed in HCC cells. These observations suggest that human HCC strongly expresses TGF-beta 1 mRNA in vivo, leading to a high content of TGF-beta protein.

Fusion of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles induced by an amphiphilic cationic peptide and oligophosphates at neutral pH.

Peptide E5 is an analogue of the fusion peptide of influenza virus hemagglutinin and K5 is a cationic peptide which has an arrangement of electric charges complementary to that of E5. We reported that a stoichiometric mixture of E5 and K5 caused fusion of large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) of neutral phospholipids (Murata, M., Kagiwada, S., Takahashi, S. and Ohnishi, S. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 14353-14358). K5 caused fusion of LUV composed of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) at pH > 10, but not at neutral pH. In the presence of oligophosphates, such as 1 mM ATP, GTP, or polyphosphate, K5 caused rapid and efficient fusion of DOPC LUV at neutral pH without hydrolysis of oligophosphate groups, but another anions such as citrate, acetate, AMP, phosphate, or EDTA were ineffective. The peptide/oligophosphate-induced fusion behaviors have been investigated by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay for lipid mixing of LUV and negative staining electron microscopy. At higher ionic strengths ( > 0.3 M KCl) or in the presence of 5.0 mM MgCl2, the fusion was inhibited. Even at the inhibitory conditions, the association of K5 with lipid vesicles at neutral pH was directly confirmed by the Ficoll gradient assay method and by blue shifts of the tryptophan fluorescence of the peptide. A nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue, GTP gamma S, also induced fusion. These observations suggested that the electrostatic interactions between the positive and negative charges of K5 and oligophosphate, respectively, induced complex formation, triggering membrane fusion.

Diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma by detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase messenger RNA in pancreatic juice with sample qualification.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) message, a catalytic domain of human telomerase, in endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP)-derived pancreatic juice. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Both hTERT and CD25 expression were detected by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) in 17 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC), 12 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), and 7 patients with no ERP abnormality (N). In the same patients, beta-actin message was semiquantified by competitive RT-PCR. K-ras codon 12 mutations were concomitantly analyzed by enriched PCR-SSCP in 11 and 7 PC and CP cases, respectively. RESULTS: Expression of hTERT was detected in 88% of PC cases and 17% of CP cases but not in the normal control (N). Alterations in K-ras were detected in 73% of PC cases and 57% of CP cases, respectively. beta-Actin mRNA was expressed in >3.0 x 10(1) copies/microl in all but two PC cases in which hTERT mRNA was not detected. CD25-positive and -negative peripheral lymphocytes were isolated from a normal volunteer using a fluorescent activating cell sorter. The hTERT message was detected in CD25-positive peripheral lymphocytes and in 18, 25, and 0% of the pancreatic juice samples from PC, CP, and N cases, respectively. All CP cases expressing hTERT message were also CD25 positive. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that detection of hTERT mRNA in pancreatic juice is a powerful tool to discriminate PC from CP, particularly when the samples are qualified against beta-actin mRNA levels and contaminating CD25-positive lymphocytes.

Body movements on the men's competition mushroom: a three dimensional analysis of circular swings.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a method for the three dimensional analysis of body movements and body positions during the performance of circular swings on the competition mushroom, an apparatus used by young gymnasts for pommel horse training. METHODS: Five experienced male gymnasts, all of national level, performed three series of 10 circular swings on the competition mushroom. An optoelectronic instrument was used for the detection of the three dimensional movement of 13 body landmarks. From landmark trajectories, several technical measurements were obtained: diameters of ideal circles of ankles, hips, shoulders; deviation of the ankle diameters from circularity and from the horizontal plane; angle between the shoulder, hip, and ankle. The values were used for a quantitative assessment of performance of the five gymnasts. RESULTS: During the exercise, each ankle should follow a nearly horizontal circular path (deviation from circularity ranged from 3.6% to 6%, deviation from horizontality was 9.4-19.7%), there should be an angle of about 180 degrees at the hips (actual values 146-153 degrees ), and the shoulders should move as little as possible, and only in the lateral plane, without major anteroposterior movements (shoulder movement was 27-31% of ankle movement, hip movement was 16-20%). CONCLUSIONS: The method could help coaches and gymnasts to determine which parts of the body are not repeating a selected movement with sufficient accuracy and to quantify improvements made after a specific training programme.

1,2-diacylglycerol content in thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Phosphoinositide metabolism participates in the control of cell calcium homeostasis. Because a notable neutral lipid (1,2-diacylglycerol) is generated from phosphoinositide hydrolysis and is assumed to be a secondary messenger, we determined 1,2-diacylglycerol content and its fatty acid profiles in the thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and compared it with those of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. After the aorta was exposed to 10(-5) M norepinephrine as a stimulant, 1,2-diacylglycerol content in SHR was significantly higher by 33% than in WKY rats at 4 weeks of age, whereas there was no difference in 1,2-diacylglycerol content between the two strains at 20 weeks of age. Before norepinephrine stimulation, there was no significant difference in 1,2-diacylglycerol level between the two strains at 4 weeks of age. Analysis on a gas chromatograph showed that 1,2-diacylglycerol was composed of similar molecular species of fatty acids in aortas obtained from SHR and WKY rats. On the other hand, the cholesterol content of aortas was higher in SHR than in WKY rats at 20 weeks of age, whereas the difference at 4 weeks was not significant. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and triglyceride showed no significant difference between the two strains. It is concluded that norepinephrine-induced 1,2-diacylglycerol production increases in the thoracic aorta of SHR before the development of hypertension.