The relationship between bone mineral content (BMC) divided by bone width (BW) and diet and lifestyle in early adulthood were investigated from the view point of preventing osteoporosis at a young age in Asian women. BMC/BW of 161 healthy Asian women aged 19-25 y were measured by single-photon absorptiometry. Current and past dietary habits and physical activity were also studied. BMC/BW varied from 0.21 to 0.48 g/cm2. Bone density correlated well with dietary habit from infancy to the present especially with calcium and past physical activity. These two factors showed additive effects on BMC/BW. In multiple-regression analysis, liking sports, body mass index, no milk intake in childhood, protein intake, frequency of dieting, and skipping meals were contributors to bone density and predictive of 23% of the variability in BMC/BW in the total group. The multiple-regression coefficient was 0.518. Smoking, drinking, and duration of sunbathing might have no effect on BMC/BW in early adulthood.

No abstract

In this study, to determine the influence of different lifestyles on maximal oxygen

For study of the mechanisms regulating the induction of serine dehydratase by various hormones in rat liver [Noda et al. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 14764-14768], we cloned the gene for this enzyme from a rat genomic library. The gene spans about 7.5 kilobases and consists of nine exons and eight introns. The exon-intron boundaries are consistent with the "GT-AG" rule. Southern blot analysis of rat genomic DNA suggested the presence of one copy of serine dehydratase gene per haploid genome. The 5' end of serine dehydratase mRNA is located 148 nucleotides upstream of the initiator methionine codon. ATG, determined by primer extension analysis and S1 nuclease mapping, although an alternative transcription initiation site(s) may be located a few bases downstream. The 5' flanking region of the gene lacks typical TATA and CCAAT sequences, but contains AATAAA and CATT sequences, at -25 to -20 and -54 to -51, respectively. Furthermore, there are five GC box-related sequences. There are three putative glucocorticoid-responsive elements and two copies of the CGTCA motif of the cAMP-responsive element upstream of the promoters. The 5' flanking sequence shows more than 98% homology with that reported by Ogawa et al. [(1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 5809-5813], but the first exons have different sequences. Another difference is that a segment of 108 nucleotides is located just upstream of exon 5 in the sequence reported here, but is included as an exon in the sequence of Ogawa et al. The possibility to producing two species of serine dehydratase mRNAs from a single gene by transcription from different sites and alternative splicing is discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract