Attentional focus differentially modulates the corticospinal and intracortical excitability during dynamic and static exercise.

Although attentional focus affects motor performance, whether corticospinal excitability and intracortical modulations differ between focus strategies depending on the exercise patterns remains unclear. In the present study, using single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation, we demonstrated changes in the cortical and spinal excitability under external focus (EF) and internal focus (IF) conditions with dynamic or static exercise. Participants performed the ramp-and-hold contraction task of right index finger abduction against an object (sponge or wood) with both exercises. They were asked to concentrate on the pressure on the sponge/wood induced by finger abduction under the EF condition, and on the index finger itself under the IF condition. Motor-evoked potential (MEP) and F-wave in the premotor, phasic, or tonic phase, and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI and LICI, respectively), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) in the premotor phase were examined by recording surface electromyographic activity in the right first dorsal interosseous muscle. Increments in the MEP amplitude were larger under the EF condition than under the IF condition in the dynamic, but not static, exercise. The F-wave, SICI, and LICI did not differ between focus conditions in both exercises. In the dynamic exercise, interestingly, ICF was greater under the EF condition than under the IF condition and positively correlated with the MEP amplitude. These results indicate that corticospinal excitability and intracortical modulations to attentional focus differ depending on exercise patterns, suggesting that attentional focus differentially affects the central nervous system responsible for diverse motor behaviors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated attentional focus-dependent corticospinal and intracortical modulations in dynamic or static exercise. The corticospinal excitability was modulated differentially depending on the focus of attention during dynamic, but not static exercise. Although the reduction of intracortical GABAergic inhibition was comparable between focus conditions in both exercises, intracortical facilitation was smaller when focusing on the internal environments in the dynamic exercise, resulting in lower activation of the corticospinal tract.

Starmerella kisarazuensis f.a., sp. nov., a novel yeast isolated from Trifolium pratense flowers.

Three yeast isolates, NBRC 115909T, NBRC 115910 and NBRC 116270, were isolated from Trifolium pratense (red clover) flowers collected from Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan. Analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions revealed that these isolates represent a single novel species within the genus Starmerella. Also, no ascospore formation was observed. The yeast isolates were closely related to Starmerella vitae UWOPS 00-107.2T and Starmerella bombi NRRL Y-17081T. They differed from S. vitae, the most closely related species with a validly published name, by ten nucleotide substitutions with two gaps in the D1/D2 domains and 20 nucleotide substitutions in the ITS region. Moreover, the three isolates exhibited distinct phenotypic characteristics from the closely related species. Therefore, we suggest that these three isolates represent a novel species, designated as Starmerella kisarazuensis f.a., sp. nov. The holotype is NBRC 115909T (isotype: CBS 18485T).

Synthesis of Diverse Aromatic Ketones through C-F Cleavage of Trifluoromethyl Group.

An efficient synthetic method of aromatic ketones through C-F cleavage of trifluoromethyl group is disclosed. The high functional group tolerance of the transformation and the remarkable stability of trifluoromethyl group in various reactions enabled multi-substituted aromatic ketone synthesis in an efficient route involving useful transformations such as ortho-lithiation, aryne chemistry, and cross-couplings.

Monochloramine potently inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism in rat platelets.

In the present study, the effects of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), monochloramine (NH(2)Cl), glutamine-chloramine (Glu-Cl) and taurine-chloramine (Tau-Cl) on the formation of 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) metabolite, 12-HETE, and cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolites, TXB(2), and 12-HHT, from exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) in rat platelets were examined. Rat platelets (4x10(8)/ml) were preincubated with drugs for 5min at 37 degrees C prior to the incubation with AA (40microM) for 2min at 37 degrees C. HOCl (50-250microM) showed an inhibition on the formation of LOX metabolite (12-HETE, 5-67% inhibition) and COX metabolites (TXB(2), 33-73% inhibition; 12-HHT, 27-74% inhibition). Although Tau-Cl and Glu-Cl up to 100microM were without effect on the formation of 12-HETE, TXB(2) and 12-HTT, NH(2)Cl showed a strong inhibition on the formation of all three metabolites (10-100microM NH(2)Cl, 12-HETE, 21-92% inhibition; TXB(2), 58-94% inhibition; 12-HHT, 36-92% inhibition). Methionine reversed a reduction of formation of LOX and COX metabolites induced by NH(2)Cl, and taurine restoring that induced by both NH(2)Cl and HOCl. These results suggest that NH(2)Cl is a more potent inhibitor of COX and LOX pathways in platelets than HOCl, and taurine and methionine can be modulators of NH(2)Cl-induced alterations in the COX and LOX pathways in vivo.

Experimental and theoretical study on gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of silver trimer cation, Ag3+, with 12-crown-4.

The reaction mechanisms of silver trimer cation, Ag3+, with 12-crown-4 (12C4) were studied experimentally and theoretically. Using a cylindrical ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer, gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of Ag3+ with 12C4 were observed. Metal-ligand complexes of [Ag(12C4)]+, [Ag3(12C4)]+ and [Ag3(12C4)2]+, and of [Ag(12C4)2]+ and [Ag3(12C4)3]+, were observed as the reaction intermediates and terminal products, respectively. The formations of the [Ag12C4]+ and [Ag(12C4)2]+ complexes indicated that the neutral dimer (Ag2) had been eliminated from the trimer cation. From the results of ab initio calculations at the HF/LanL2DZ level of theory and the experiments, it is suggested that three 12C4 molecules can attach to Ag3+ through consecutive reactions and that neutral Ag2 can be easily eliminated from [Ag3(12C4)]+.

Effects of endocrine disruptors on arachidonic acid metabolism in rabbit platelets.

To explore the possible actions of endocrine disruptors on the autacoid synthesis in the body, we investigated the effects of nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl-n-butyl phthalate (BBP), and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) on the formation of 12-lipoxygenase metabolite, 12-HETE, and cyclooxygenase metabolites, TXB(2) and 12-HHT, from exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) in rabbit platelets. NP (10-50 microM) showed strong inhibition on the formation of cyclooxygenase metabolites (TXB(2), 34-95% inhibition; 12-HHT, 13-78% inhibition) and weaker inhibition on the formation of 12-HETE (0-49% inhibition). BPA, DBP, BBP, DEHP, and 17beta-estradiol (endogenous estrogen) failed to show any effect on the formation of cyclooxygenase and 12-lipoxygenase metabolites at concentrations up to 100 microM. These results suggest that NP inhibits AA metabolism in platelets and that its effects on the cyclooxygenase pathway predominate over those exerted via the 12-lipoxygenase pathway.