Hwang, E. A.

The endothelium of different organs displays a remarkable heterogeneity, although it presents many common functional and morphological features. However, despite our knowledge of heterogeneity among endothelial cells from different sites, the differences between brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) and coronary microvascular endothelial cells (CMEC) are poorly defined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BMEC are distinct from CMEC at the protein level. Using the proteomic approach, we comparatively analyzed the proteome of cultured BMEC and CMEC. We reproducibly separated over 2000 polypeptides by using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) at pH range of 3-10. Using PDQuest software to process the 2-DE gel images, forty-seven protein spots were differentially expressed in the two-endothelial cells. Of these, thirty-five proteins are highly expressed in BMEC, whereas twelve proteins are highly expressed in CMEC. Fifteen proteins in BMEC and seven proteins in CMEC were identified with high confidence by matrix-associated laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS). Our data suggested that BMEC and CMEC were different in several aspects including cytokine and growth-related molecules, stress-related proteins, metabolic enzymes, signal transduction proteins and others. The identification of a set of proteins preferentially expressed in BMEC and CMEC provided new data on the heterogeneity of the endothelium.

No abstract

Kim, Y. Y., Pack, S. H., Kang, H. S., OH, Y. S. The effect of massage and tapping therapy on improvement of iliocostalis lumborum and gastrocnemius conditions. Exercise Science. 20(2): 131-138, 2011. The study investigated the effect of massage and tapping therapy on improvement of iliocostalis lumborum and gastrocnemius conditions in the elite athletes. 24 high school basketball players were divided into sports massage group (SG, N=8), sports massage and tapping therapy group (STG, N=8), and control group (CG, N=8). SG and STG were treated 24 times for 8 weeks, 3 times a week and each for 60 minutes after a typical exercise. SG, STG and CG had 15 minutes cool down exercise for the rest 3 weeks. The results of the difference between before and after the treatment are as follows. 1. After the treatments, the RMS changes of iliocostalis lumborum were significantly decreased (p<.001) in SG and STG. CG had no significance differences. In between three groups, SG (p<.001) and STG (p<.001) were significantly different from CG and no differences were found between SG and STG. The RMS changes of gastrocnemius in SG and STG were significantly decreased but no difference was found in CG. No significant differences were found between SG and STG, but SG and STG were significantly different (p<.001) from CG between three groups. 2. The MEF changes of iliocostalis lumborum were significantly increased (p<.001) in SG and STG after the treatments but CG had no significance differences. No differences were found among three groups. The MEF changes of gastrocnemius were increased significantly in SG (p<.01) and STG (p<.001) after the treatments but CG had no change. In between three groups, no significant differences among SG, STG and CG but STG (p<.05) was different significantly from CG.

The effects of aerobic exercise on blood lipids, stress and growth hormones of middle-aged women based on NaB golf training. Exercise Science. 21(4): 445-454, 2012. The study aims to identify the effects of a 12-week NaB golf training program on blood lipids, stress and growth hormones of middle-aged female. The experiment consists of an experimental group of seven subjects and a control group of seven subjects. The program was conducted 5 days per week for 12 weeks, where Weeks 1-4 were carried out on RPE 9~11, weeks 5~8 on RPE 11~13, weeks 9~12 on RPE 13~15. The concentration of blood lipids as well as stress and growth hormones were measured and analyzed. By analyzing pre-to-post changes in blood lipids, a significant reduction in TC in the experimental group (p <.01) was found and the same result was obtained for changes in TG in the experimental group(p <.01). The experimental group showed a high increase in HDL-C (p <.01). Based on the analysis of pre-to-post changes in LDL-C, the experimental group showed a significant drop (p <.05). In terms of hormone changes, a significant reduction in the level of stress hormones has been found (p <.05), but as for growth hormones no signigicant change has been found. As indicated above, NaB golf training program brought positive changes in TC and TG, HDL-C, LDL-C as well as stress hormones. Engaging in the program on a regular basis is considered to show positive effects on blood lipids and stress hormones of middle-aged women.