Treatment of dark-grown Arabidopsis thaliana with a brassinosteroid-biosynthesis inhibitor, brassinazole, induces some characteristics of light-grown plants

When a brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor, brassinazole (Brz), was applied at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2 microM. Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh seedlings grown in the dark exhibited morphological features of light-grown plants, i.e. short hypocotyls, expanded cotyledons, and true leaves, in a dose-dependent manner. Control (non Brz-treated) seedlings grown in the dark for 40 d did not develop leaf primordia. However, treatment with the lowest concentration of Brz induced the development of leaf buds, although it hardly induced any short hypocotyls, and treatment with the highest concentration of Brz induced both short hypocotyls and leaves. Labeling experiments with the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine revealed that amplification of cell nuclei and organellar nucleoids is activated in the shoot apical meristems of dark-grown Brz-treated seedlings. These results suggest that Brz-treatment induces development of true leaves. Furthermore, condensation and scattering of plastid nucleoids, which is known to occur during the differentiation of etioplasts into chloroplasts, was observed in the plastids of dark-grown Brz-treated cotyledons. In addition, high levels of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase proteins accumulated in the plastids of the cotyledons. Electron microscopy showed that the plastids were etioplasts with a prolamellar body and few thylakoid membranes. These results suggest that Brz treatment in the dark induces the initial steps of plastid differentiation, which occur prior to the development of thylakoid membranes. This is a novel presumed function of brassinosteroids. These cytological changes seen in Brz-treated Arabidopsis were exactly the same as those seen in a brassinosteroid-biosynthesis-deficient mutant, det2, supporting the hypothesis that Brz has no side-effects except inhibiting brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and should prove a useful tool in clarifying the role of brassinosteroids.

Plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity is high in infants and is not affected by thyroid hormones

We investigated the effects of thyroid dysfunction on cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by studying plasma CETP activity in hypothyroid infants before and after they were rendered euthyroid by L-thyroxine (LT4) replacement therapy. To exclude environmental factors possibly affecting plasma CETP activity, we selected hypothyroid infants to study plasma CETP activity. Plasma CETP activity was measured as the rate of radiolabeled cholesteryl ester transfer from high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to serum apolipoprotein B (apo B)-containing lipoproteins in plasma from 14 hypothyroid infants before and 2 months after LT4 replacement, 23 normal infants, and 61 normal adults. Relationships between CETP and thyroid hormones were examined separately in the 14 hypothyroid infants and 32 euthyroid infants, including the 14 above-described hypothyroid infants and an additional 18 treated hypothyroid infants. Serum levels of thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were also determined on an autoanalyzer system in our hospital. In contrast to previous reports, we found no differences in plasma CETP activity between hypothyroid infants and age-matched normal infants. LT4 substitution did not cause any changes in plasma CETP activity after therapy. Plasma CETP activity showed no correlation with serum TSH, FT4, and FT3 levels. Both hypothyroid and normal infants were found to have significantly higher plasma CETP activity than normal adults. From these results, we conclude that in infants thyroid hormones do not affect plasma CETP activity, and normal infants have high plasma CETP activity, compared with normal adults.

Synthesis and biological activity of 4'-methoxy derivatives of abscisic acid

Replacing the 4'-carbonyl group of abscisic acid with a methoxy group does not affect the abscisic acid (ABA)-like activities of the product in barley aleurone protoplasts, although the reduction of ABA to 4'-hydroxyl derivatives significantly reduces the ABA-like activity of the products. This suggests that methoxy derivatives of abscisic acid might be used to produce probes for ABA binding proteins.

Relationship between serum leptin and thyroid hormones in children

BACKGROUND

Because leptin decreases food intake and increases energy expenditure, the possible influence of thyroid status on the leptin system has been investigated mainly in adults and animals. However, the data available at present are very confusing. The aim of the present study was to assess the possible interaction of thyroid hormones with the leptin system.

METHODS

Serum free thyroxine (FT4), a biologically active thyroid hormone, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), a sensitive and reliable index of thyroid status, were examined in 51 children (19 males, 32 females) with mass screening-detected congenital hypothyroidism on continuous L-thyroxine (L-T4) substitution therapy. The subjects were divided into younger (n = 35, aged 1 month-5 years) and older (n = 16, 6 years-11 years) children groups. Serum levels of leptin and thyroid hormones were measured in the subjects. Body mass index (BMI) was estimated by the formula bodyweight (kg)/height x height (m2), which is known as the Kaup index in younger children and BMI in older children and adults.

RESULTS

In the younger children group, serum leptin levels showed no correlation with serum TSH, FT4 or T4. In the older children group, serum leptin concentrations significantly correlated with T4 (r = 0.510, P < 0.05) and BMI (n = 16, r = 0.647, P < 0.01), but not with TSH or FT4.

CONCLUSION

The role of thyroid hormones in modulating leptin synthesis and secretion seems to have little, if any, clinical or biological relevance.

Characterization of brassinazole, a triazole-type brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor

Screening for brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis inhibitors was performed to find chemicals that induce dwarfism in Arabidopsis, mutants that resembled BR biosynthesis mutants that can be rescued by BR. Through this screening experiment, the compound brassinazole was selected as the most potent chemical. In dark-grown Arabidopsis, brassinazole-induced morphological changes were nearly restored to those of wild type by treatment with brassinolide. The structure of brassinazole is similar to pacrobutrazol, a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor. However, in assays with cress (Lepidium sativum) plants, brassinazole-treated plants did not show recovery after the addition of gibberellin but showed good recovery after the addition of brassinolide. These data demonstrate that brassinazole is a specific BR biosynthesis inhibitor. Brassinazole-treated cress also showed dwarfism, with altered leaf morphology, including the downward curling and dark green color typical of Arabidopsis BR-deficient mutants, and this dwarfism was reversed by the application of 10 nM brassinolide. This result suggests that BRs are essential for plant growth, and that brassinazole can be used to clarify the function of BRs in plants as a complement to BR-deficient mutants. The brassinazole action site was also investigated by feeding BR biosynthesis intermediates to cress grown in the light.

An evaluation of neurobehavioural problems as perceived by family members and levels of family stress 1-3 years following traumatic brain injury in Japan

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the proportion of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to a Japanese district hospital and to evaluate the levels of stress and anxiety in fami ies living with those TBI patients.

DESIGN

A retrospective study of patients admitted to hospital from April 1995 to March 1997 and a questionnaire study of family members of survivors.

SETTING AND SUBJECTS

All patients referred or transferred to the Emergency Department at the Saga Medical School Hospital, Japan with a primary diagnosis of TBI were studied. Family members living with TBI patients were sent questionnaires.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The Barthel Index, the Patient Competency Rating Scale, the modified Caregiver Strain Index and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

RESULTS

There were 34 patients who required hospitalization for care relating to TBI. Of these, nine family members took part in the questionnaire study. Three carers reported fairly high levels of stress and another three carers were considered to be at risk of anxiety and depression. There was a tendency for family members who reported that patients had difficulties in performing behavioural tasks to have higher levels of stress themselves.

CONCLUSION

These preliminary results showed that family members experienced certain levels of stress and were also at risk of anxiety and depression. The impact of TBI on families as well as patients should receive more attention.

Purification from conditioned medium and chemical identification of a factor that inhibits somatic embryogenesis in carrot

Somatic embryogenesis is strongly inhibited in cultures of carrot (Daucus carota L.) cells when the cell density is high. The inhibition is caused by factors that are released by cells into the medium of such cultures. In this study, we purified and identified one of the inhibitory factors found in the medium of high-cell-density cultures of carrot cells. The inhibitory factor with the strongest apparent activity was purified by fractionation with ethylacetate, chromatography on an octadecylsilyl (ODS) silica gel-column and HPLC. The inhibitory factor had a single peak of absorbance at 280 nm and was identified as 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol by mass spectrometry and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Authentic 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol strongly inhibited the formation of somatic embryos at a concentration equal to that in high-cell-density cultures. These results suggest that 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol is a major factor that accumulates in high-cell-density cultures of carrot cells and inhibits somatic embryogenesis.

Isolation and initial characterization of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a induced by cyclohexanedione derivatives in tobacco cell suspension cultures

This paper reports that a new photobleaching compound, 2-(2-chloro-5-propoxycarbonylphenyl)aminomethylidene-5-5-dim ethyl- cyclohexane-1,3-dione (RWH-21), stimulates accumulation of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a in cultured tobacco cells. This was shown based on isolation of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a from pigment extracts of cultured tobacco cells by diode-array HPLC and subsequent fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry analysis. 13(2)-Hydroxychlorophyll a rapidly accumulates in tobacco cells both in the light and dark in the presence of RWH-21 (50 microM). Analysis of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a formation in tobacco cells indicates that 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a is rapidly accumulated within 20 h incubation time both in the dark and light. Although the amount of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a is continuously increased in the dark, the amount of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a decreased remarkably in the light after 20 h incubation. Analysis of 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a formation and lipid peroxidation by determination malondialdehyde in tobacco cells suggests that RWH-21-induced 13(2)-hydroxychlorophyll a has the potential to cause a photodynamic action in cultured tobacco cells.

Changes in serum apolipoprotein concentrations after L-thyroxine therapy in infants with congenital hypothyroidism

To further characterize the impact of thyroid hormones on the serum lipid profile, we studied serum apolipoproteins in infants with congenital hypothyroidism before and after L-thyroxine (L-T4) replacement therapy. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) decreased after L-T4 therapy. Total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels did not change significantly after therapy. Two months after L-T4 replacement therapy, serum apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), C-III, and E declined and apo B increased significantly. No significant changes were observed for serum concentrations of apo A-II and C-II after L-T4 substitution. We conclude that in infants, thyroid hormone reduces serum levels of apo A-I, the principal protein component of HDLC, and this may contribute to the decline of serum HDLC concentrations after L-T4 replacement therapy.

Brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitors

Recent work on the physiological responses of brassinosteroid-deficient mutants has led to the designation of brassinosteroids as a new class of phytohormone. However, information on other possible roles of brassinosteroids is limited because the mutant analysis has been confined to a relatively small number of plant species. In this context, specific inhibitors of brassinosteroid biosynthesis would be valuable for investigating the roles of brassinosteroids at various stages of plant development, such as germination, leaf expansion and flowering. Data on the oxidative processes involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis have permitted the rational design of biosynthesis inhibitors. The development of such inhibitors has confirmed the importance of brassinosteroids in broad aspects of plant growth and development, with drastic morphological changes in inhibitor-treated plants, almost identical to those found in brassinosteroid-deficient mutants. The normal phenotype of inhibitor-treated plants can be recovered by the addition of brassinolide, revealing that inhibitors can be used to complement brassinosteroid-deficient mutants in clarifying the functions of brassinosteroids.

Endogenous neurotrophin-3 is retrogradely transported in the rat sciatic nerve

To address the active transport of neurotrophins, nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3 in the peripheral nerves, we examined the levels of proteins and messenger RNAs in the sciatic nerve of adult rats following transection, using enzyme immunoassays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method, respectively. Neurotrophin-3 protein increased one day after transection only in the distal segment next to the transection site and returned to the original level two days later. This was considered to reflect accumulation of neurotrophin-3 transported from the periphery toward the neuronal cell bodies, because the neurotrophin-3 messenger RNA level was not changed in any sciatic segments during this experimental period. An increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein was observed simultaneously in both the distal and proximal stumps three days after transection. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA was elevated in the same stumps two days after transection, suggesting that brain-derived neurotrophic factor was produced within the transected stumps. These observations demonstrate that neurotrophin-3, like nerve growth factor, is retrogradely transported in the sciatic nerve but that brain-derived neurotrophic factor is not. This suggests that neurotrophin-3 plays a role in the conveyance of trophic signals from target organs to neurons.

Thyroxine inversely regulates serum intermediate density lipoprotein levels in children with congenital hypothyroidism

BACKGROUND

Although there have been numerous studies on the effects of thyroid hormones on serum lipid profiles, the effects of thyroxine on intermediate how density lipoprotein (IDL) remain uncertain. In an attempt to clarify, this issue, under conditions with very little influence exerted by sex hormones on serum lipid profiles, we studied the relationship between serum thyroid hormone levels and the proportion of serum IDL fractions in children.

METHODS

Nineteen children with congenital hypothyroidism and 13 children with non-thyroid diseases were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were taken to measure serum thyroid stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine, free thyroxine (FT4), total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride and apolipoprotein levels. Lipoprotein fractions, including very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), IDL, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL, were determined by their electrophoretic mobility in a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel.

RESULTS

The proportion of IDL fractions showed a significant inverse correlation with serum FT4 levels and a significant correlation with serum total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B and C-II levels. Serum VLDL, LDL and HDL fractions did not correlate with serum thyroid hormone levels.

CONCLUSION

From these results and other studies, we suggest that thyroxine promotes the conversion of IDL into LDL, possibly by its stimulatory effects on hepatic lipase activity.

Serum lipoproteins and apolipoprotein E in infants with congenital hypothyroidism

BACKGROUND

Hypothyroid adults have a high risk of atherosclerosis, secondary to increased levels of various cholesterol fractions, particularly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). We investigated the existence of a correlation between thyroid hormone deficiency and serum lipoproteins and a possible effect of different apolipoprotein E (apoE) phenotypes on lipoprotein levels in 75 infants with hypothyroidism.

METHODS

Seventy-three of the 75 infants had congenital hypothyroidism. At the age of one month, prior to the initiation of thyroid hormone substitution therapy, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones and lipid profile parameters were determined. Subsequently, apoE phenotyping in all patients was performed by isoelectric focusing followed by immunoblotting.

RESULTS

Significant negative correlations were identified between triiodothyronine (T3) and LDL-C and total cholesterol (TC) levels and between thyroxine (T4) and TC levels. There were no correlations between TSH and free (F)T4 and lipid profile parameters. Although infants carrying at least one E4 allele had higher LDL-C (as well as TC and triglyceride) levels than those carrying at least one E2 allele, these differences were not statistically significant. No significant differences in thyroid hormones were noted in E4 allele carriers in comparison with other patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed lack of a significant correlation between thyroid hormones (except T3), apoE phenotypes and lipoprotein levels suggests that, early in infancy, other factors may play a more important role in determining lipoprotein levels.

Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele and nephrotic glomerular diseases in children

Hyperlipidemia is a well-recognized complication of the nephrotic syndrome and is a factor contributing to the progression of the initial glomerular injury and the development of glomerulosclerosis. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a plasma protein and apoE epsilon 4 allele is associated with higher plasma cholesterol levels. With this in mind, we studied apoE phenotypes and alleles in children with nephrotic glomerular diseases (NGD, n=29), including idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (n=16), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (n=7), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS, n=6). Children with NGD had a higher epsilon 4 allele frequency (20.7%) than controls (10.8%), and those with FSGS had both higher apoE4/3 (66.7%) and epsilon 4 allele (33.3%) frequencies than controls (20.4% and 10.8%, respectively). In IgA nephropathy (n=30, disease controls), no significant association with specific apoE was found. Further studies are needed to clarify the significance of the observed high frequencies of apoE epsilon 4 allele in children with NGD and apoE4/3 phenotype distribution in FSGS.

New lead compounds for brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitors

The first brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor is reported. Among newly synthesized triazole derivatives, 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-phenyl-3-(1,2,4-triazoyl)butan-2-ol (6) was found to inhibit the growth of cress seedlings, and this inhibition was recovered by the treatment of brassinolide, suggesting that compound 6 primarily inhibits brassinosteroid biosynthesis.

Hypercholesterolemia and glomerular diseases in urinary screening of school children

Although hypercholesterolemia frequently accompanies nephrotic syndrome, high serum total cholesterol (TC) levels are occasionally seen in children with non-nephrotic glomerular diseases. However, little is known of the significance, if any, of these elevated serum TC levels in non-nephrotic glomerular diseases. During the past 5 years, a total of 256,179 school children received yearly urinary screening at school for renal diseases and 1,702 children (0.66% of the total, although 174 children dropped out) had proteinuria and/or hematuria. Using the data obtained from the 1,528 children, we studied whether there is any association between serum TC levels and the presence of glomerular diseases. The detection rate of glomerular diseases (IgA nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerular sclerosis, etc.) in the subjects with high serum TC levels (> or =200 mg/dl) was significantly higher (16 of 161, 9.94%, P<0.001) than in those with normal serum TC levels (<200 mg/dl) (10 of 1,367, 0.73%). There were no significant differences in serum albumin and blood urea nitrogen levels between the two groups. We conclude that children with chance proteinuria and/or hematuria may be at higher risk for glomerulonephritis of various types when they have unexplained hypercholesterolemia, and that measurement of serum cholesterol levels may be useful in urinary screening for renal diseases.

2-fluoroabscisic acid analogues: their synthesis and biological activities

Fluorine was introduced into the 2-position of the side chain of abscisic acid (ABA) analogues by Wittig reaction of alpha-ionone derivatives with ethyl triethylphosphono-2-fluoroacetate. The effects of the fluorinated analogues were evaluated on inhibition of cress seed germination and inhibition of gibberellin-inducible alpha-amylase induction in embryoless barley half-seeds. (2E, 4E)-2-Fluoro-5-(1'-hydroxy-2',6', 6'-trimethyl-2'-cyclohexen-1'-yl)-3-methyl-2,4-pentadienoic acid (5b) showed potent inhibitory activity at the same level as ABA in the cress seed germination test, and 5b also inhibited gibberellin-inducible alpha-amylase induction at 4 x 10(-)(6), 3 times the concentration of ABA (1 x 10(-)(6)) for 50% inhibition of alpha-amylase production. 5b also showed dehydrin induction activity. These results indicate that fluorinated ABA analogues mimic ABA action and can be a lead for a plant growth regulator which regulates plant growth or protects plants from environmental stresses.

Difference in stimulus-response compatibility effect in premotor and motor time between upper and lower limbs

The present study assessed differences in stimulus-response compatibility effects during central information processing and peripheral motor control between upper and lower limbs by measurement of times for premotor and motor response to a stimulus presented to one visual hemifield. 16 subjects participated. One stimulus-response assignment was Compatible and the other was Incompatible. In the former, the stimulus presented in the left field required a response from a left limb, and that presented in the right field required a response from a right limb. In the Incompatible condition, assignments were reversed. For both conditions, subjects were required to release the key for the upper or the lower limb as quickly as possible. The analysis of Premotor time showed the stimulus-response compatibility effect for both upper and lower limb responses, although analysis of Motor time indicated the stimulus-response compatibility effect occurred in only a lower limb response. It is concluded that the effect of stimulus-response compatibility for upper limb response was influenced only by central information processing, while the effect for lower limb response was influenced also by peripheral motor control.

Clinical care of osteoarthritic knee with knee orthoses

We reviewed the efficiency of knee orthosis wearing of 11 patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis (OA). The authors found that knee orthoses could increase mechanical stability of the OA knee joints and relieve pain subjectively, which improved patients' daily lives, particularly for those patients under low physiologic knee loading conditions.

Incidence of febrile convulsions in children with congenital hypothyroidism

Brain excitability has been inconsistently reported to be increased both in hypo- and hyperthyroidism, but there have been few studies on the effects of thyroid hormones on brain excitability in children. With this in mind, we investigated the incidence of febrile convulsions (FCs) among patients with congenital hypothyroidism, who have been taking L-thyroxine since the age of 1 month. The incidence of FCs among congenital hypothyroid patients was 1.6% (1/63) which was significantly low (p < 0.05) compared with that of normal control children who visited our hospitals as outpatients (28/341, 8.2%) and that of others (322/3301, 9.8%) investigated 33 years ago in the same area. The incidence of FC among siblings of the 63 patients (7/74, 9.5%) was not statistically different from the controls. At least 8 of the 126 parents (6.4%) had experienced FC, however, only one child was affected in the 8 families. In conclusion, it seems likely that patients with congenital hypothyroidism on regular L-T4 replacement are less prone to experience FC. More studies on the incidence of convulsive disorders in children with thyroid diseases are needed to clarify the effects of thyroid hormones on brain excitability.

Fine structure of the tongue and lingual papillae of the penguin

The tongue in four species of penguin was investigated by light microscopy and by scanning electron microscopy, with special reference to the lingual papillae. 1) The middle of the penguin tongue contains a pair of long cartilages and long tendons accompanied by striated muscle bundles. 2) Large, spine-like, and caudally directed lingual papillae (filiform-like papillae) densely cover the dorsal surface of the tongue, apparently serving to catch fishes. 3) By light microscopy, the dorsal lingual epithelium with the lingual papillae are seen as a thick cornified layer, but the lateral and lower surfaces have a thinner cornified layer. 4) The connective tissue core (CTC) under the epithelium of the lingual papilla shows a stereo structure similar to but smaller than the external form of the papilla. The CTC contains some blood vessels and nerve fibers; the lingual glands are found in the submucous layer only in the posterior tongue. 5) Bundles of nerve fibers in the lamina propria of the tongue were immunohistochemically positive for PGP 9.5, and it appeared that Merkel corpuscles were distributed in the connective tissue closely beneath the epithelium of the finger-like papillae, though they were only weakly immunoreactive for PGP 9.5. 6) Numerous fine filaments of elastic fibers are found closely beneath the epithelial cell layer of the dorsal surface of the tongue including the lingual papillae, while there are very few of them on the lateral and lower sides of the tongue.

Influence of long-latency reflex modulation on the performance of quick adjustment movements

The effect of long-latency reflex modulation on the performance of a quick adjustment movement following a muscle stretch was studied in 26 healthy male subjects. When the subjects felt a sudden angle displacement in the direction of a wrist extension they were required to make an adjustment movement by moving a handlebar, held in the hand, to align with a target position as quickly and as accurately as possible. The index of performance (adjustment time) was the time taken to move the handle to the target position from stretch onset. A DC torque motor was used to evoke electromyographic (EMG) reflex responses on a wrist flexor. Averaging of the rectified EMG, recorded from surface electrodes placed over the flexor, showed short- and long-latency reflexes (M1 and M2 components). For all subjects, the amplitudes of the reflex components decreased during the adjustment movement because the target position for this study was fixed to the extension side of the wrist joint. The decrease in the M2 component, which is considered to be a transcortical reflex, was significantly larger than the decrease in the M1 component, which is spinal reflex. The main finding was of a positive correlation between the length of adjustment time and the degree of reduction of M1 and M2 with the adjustment movement (r = 0.602 for M1, P < 0.01; r = 0.850 for M2, P < 0.001). Moreover, there were correlations between the consistency of the voluntary response onset and the degree of M2 decrease (r = 0.577, P < 0.01), and between the consistency of the voluntary response onset and the length of the adjustment time (r = 0.603, P < 0.01). Therefore, we have concluded that the subjects who were able to perform adjustment movements within a short time could modulate the long-latency reflex of the muscle involved in such movements in order to make the function of their voluntary muscle activity more effective, and thus were able to respond appropriately.