Edible plant oil (EPO)-consumption activity of the isolate Fusarium keratoplasticum EN01 and other relative Fusarium species.

Edible oil is used in humans' daily lives, and the degradation of edible oil is a key process in sewage water treatment and in compost production from food wastes. In this study, a mixed microbial strain EN00, which showed high edible plant oil (EPO)-consumption activity, was obtained from soil via enrichment cultivation. A fungal strain EN01 was isolated from EN00 and relegated to Fusarium keratoplasticum, based on the nucleotide sequences of the TEF1-α gene. Strain EN01 eliminated more than 90% of hydrophobic compounds from the medium containing 1.0% (w/v) EPO within 10 days at 30 °C. The rate of consumption of EPO by EN01 was comparable with that of EN00, suggesting that EN01 was the main microorganism involved in the EPO-consumption ability of EN00. Strain EN01 efficiently utilized EPO as a sole carbon source. The EPO-consumption rate of EN01 was highest among six tested strains of Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), while two FSSC strains of F. mori and F. cuneirostrum, whose phylogenetic relationships were relatively distant from EN01, had little EPO-eliminating activity. This data implies that the potent EPO-eliminating activity is not general in FSSC strains but is restricted to selected members of this complex. EN01 showed good growth at 25-30 °C, in media with an initial pH of 4-10, and in the presence of 0-3% (w/v) sodium chloride. Although the safety including pathogenicity must be strictly evaluated, some FSSC strains including EN01 have potentials for use in the degradation and elimination of edible oil.

Associations of sensory sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, and alexithymia with dental anxiety.

We aimed to reveal interrelationships between alexithymia, catastrophic thinking, sensory processing patterns, and dental anxiety among 460 participants who were registrants of a Japanese research company. Measures used were the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, the Adult Sensory Profile, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The interrelationships among the constructs were analyzed using structural equation modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and negative dental treatment experience. Data from 428 participants were used in the analyses. Sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing were independently associated with anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety, while difficulty identifying feelings was not. In the mediation model, sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing served as full mediators between difficulty identifying feelings and the dimensions of dental anxiety (indirect effects were between 0.13 and 0.15). The strength of the associations was 0.55 from difficulty identifying feelings to both pain catastrophizing and sensory sensitivity, and between 0.24 and 0.26 to anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety. The association between trait-like phenomena, such as alexithymia, and dental anxiety may be mediated by neurophysiological and cognitive factors such as sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing. These findings could be crucial for new and innovative interventions for managing dental anxiety.

Physiological and genomic analyses of cobalamin (vitamin B12)-auxotrophy of Lysobacter auxotrophicus sp. nov., a methionine-auxotrophic chitinolytic bacterium isolated from chitin-treated soil.

A novel bacterium, designated 5-21aT, isolated from chitin-treated upland soil, exhibits methionine (Met) auxotrophy and chitinolytic activity. A physiological experiment revealed the cobalamin (synonym, vitamin B12)(Cbl)-auxotrophic property of strain 5-21aT. The newly determined complete genomic sequence indicated that strain 5-21aT possesses only the putative gene for Cbl-dependent Met synthase (MetH) and lacks that for the Cbl-independent one (MetE), which implies the requirement of Cbl for Met-synthesis in strain 5-21aT. The set of genes for the upstream (corrin ring synthesis) pathway of Cbl synthesis is absent in the genome of strain 5-21aT, which explains the Cbl-auxotrophy of 5-21aT. This strain was characterized via a polyphasic approach to determine its taxonomic position. The nucleotide sequences of two copies of the 16S rRNA gene of strain 5-21aT indicated the highest similarities to Lysobacter soli DCY21T(99.8 and 99.9 %) and Lysobacter panacisoli CJ29T(98.7 and 98.8 %, respectively), whose Cbl-auxotrophic properties were revealed in this study. The principal respiratory quinone was Q-8. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and iso-C17:1 ω9c. The complete genome sequence of strain 5-21aT revealed that the genome size was 4 155 451 bp long and the G+C content was 67.87 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 5-21aT and its most closely phylogenetic relative L. soli DCY21T were 88.8 and 36.5%, respectively. Based on genomic, chemotaxonomic, phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain 5-21aT represents a novel species in the genus Lysobacter, for which the name Lyobacter auxotrophicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 5-21aT (=NBRC 115507T=LMG 32660T).

Psychometric evaluation of the Japanese version of the fear of pain questionnaire-III and its association with dental anxiety: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fear of pain is a significant concern related to chronic pain and its impact on daily functioning. It is also associated with dental anxiety, highlighting its relevance in dental practice. This study aimed to validate the Japanese version of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III (FPQ-III) and explore its relationship with dental anxiety. METHODS: 400 participants completed the Japanese version of the FPQ-III, with 100 participants re-evaluated after one month. Convergent validity was tested against dental anxiety and pain catastrophizing, while discriminant validity was assessed by examining general anxiety and depression correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factorial validity of the FPQ-III and a shortened version of the FPQ-III (FPQ-9). Item response theory was applied for each subscale to estimate the discriminative power of each item and draw a test information curve. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the relationship between fear of pain and dental anxiety. RESULTS: Data from 400 participants (200 women, 44.9 ± 14.5 years) were analyzed. The FPQ-III showed good internal validity, intra-examiner reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported a three-factor structure, and the FPQ-9 showed a good fit. Test information curves demonstrated that the FPQ-9 maintained high accuracy over a similarly wide range as the FPQ-III. SEM revealed that fear of minor pain was associated with dental anxiety via fear of medical pain even in individuals without painful medical or dental experiences (indirect effect 0.48 [95% CI: 0.32-0.81]). Fear of severe pain tended to be higher in individuals with chronic pain compared to those without (latent mean values 0 vs. 0.27, p = 0.002) and was also associated with dental anxiety via fear of medical pain in women (indirect effect 0.15 [95% CI: 0.01-0.34]). CONCLUSION: The Japanese version of the FPQ-9 demonstrated high reliability and validity, making it a valuable tool in dental clinical and research settings. It provides insights into the fear of pain among individuals with chronic pain and dental anxiety, informing potential intervention strategies.

Evaluation of a Capillary Microsampling Device for Analyzing Plasma Lenvatinib Concentration in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The anticancer drug, Lenvima (lenvatinib), has severe side effects. Therapeutic drug monitoring helps ensure its efficacy and safety. Regular and optimally timed blood sampling is tough, especially when lenvatinib is self-medicated. Microsampling using the easy to handle Microsampling Wing (MSW) may help circumvent this problem. However, current lenvatinib detection methods are not sensitive enough to detect its concentrations in microsamples (<50-250 µL). Thus, the aim of this study was 2-fold (1) develop an analytic method to estimate plasma lenvatinib concentrations in microsamples and (2) verify whether this method works on micro (5.6 µL) blood plasma samples obtained clinically through MSW from patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A simple, highly sensitive, and specific liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was developed. Using this novel protocol, the trough blood plasma concentration of lenvatinib was measured for both blood sampled conventionally and that using MSW. Thirty-five venous whole blood samples were obtained from 11 patients with HCC. Furthermore, the stability of lenvatinib in MSW samples during storage was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean plasma lenvatinib concentration estimates were not significantly different between the MSW and conventional venous blood samples. CV for interday and intraday assays was low. Up to day 5, the lenvatinib concentration in the MSW samples was 85%-115% of the initial day concentration (when stored at 25°C or 4°C). The interference of endogenous matrix components in the human plasma was low. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the novel mass spectrometry protocol accurately measures lenvatinib in human plasma and is reproducible. Thus, MSW could be a useful microsampling device for lenvatinib therapeutic drug monitoring in patients with HCC when used in combination with this novel liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry detection method.

Prevalence of saliva immunoglobulin A antibodies reactive with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among Japanese people unexposed to the virus.

While the COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a threat to public health as the number of cases and COVID-19-related deaths are increasing worldwide, the incidence of the virus infection is extremely low in Japan compared with many other countries. To explain this uncommon phenomenon, we investigated the prevalence of naturally occurring ("natural") antibodies, focusing on those of the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) form, reactive with SARS-CoV-2 among Japanese people. One hundred and eighty healthy Japanese volunteers of a wide range of age who had been considered to be unexposed to SARS-CoV-2 participated in this study. Saliva samples and blood samples were collected from all of the 180 participants and 139 adults (aged ≥ 20 years) included therein, respectively. The determination of saliva IgA antibodies, mostly comprising sIgA antibodies, as well as serum IgA and immunoglobulin G antibodies, reactive with the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike-1 subunit proteins was conducted using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The major findings were that 52.78% (95% confidence interval, 45.21%-60.25%) of the individuals who had not been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were positive for saliva IgA antibodies with a wide range of levels between 0.002 and 3.272 ng/mL, and that there may be a negative trend in positivity for the antibodies according to age. As we had expected, a frequent occurrence of assumable "natural" sIgA antibodies reactive with SARS-CoV-2 among the studied Japanese participant population was observed.

Application of Nitrate, Ammonium, or Urea Changes the Concentrations of Ureides, Urea, Amino Acids and Other Metabolites in Xylem Sap and in the Organs of Soybean Plants (Glycine max (L.) Merr.).

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plants form root nodules and fix atmospheric dinitrogen, while also utilizing the combined nitrogen absorbed from roots. In this study, nodulated soybean plants were supplied with 5 mM N nitrate, ammonium, or urea for 3 days, and the changes in metabolite concentrations in the xylem sap and each organ were analyzed. The ureide concentration in the xylem sap was the highest in the control plants that were supplied with an N-free nutrient solution, but nitrate and asparagine were the principal compounds in the xylem sap with nitrate treatment. The metabolite concentrations in both the xylem sap and each organ were similar between the ammonium and urea treatments. Considerable amounts of urea were present in the xylem sap and all the organs among all the treatments. Positive correlations were observed between the ureides and urea concentrations in the xylem sap as well as in the roots and leaves, although no correlations were observed between the urea and arginine concentrations, suggesting that urea may have originated from ureide degradation in soybean plants, possibly in the roots. This is the first finding of the possibility of ureide degradation to urea in the underground organs of soybean plants.

A rice PHD-finger protein OsTITANIA, is a growth regulator that functions through elevating expression of transporter genes for multiple metals.

Essential metal absorption for plant growth is mediated predominantly by metal-specific transporters, with expression that responds to the environmental or cellular conditions of specific metals. Differing from metal-specific regulation, we describe a constitutively expressed transcription factor that regulates the transport of several metals in rice. We characterized the rice mutant LOW CADMIUM 5 (LC5), which exhibited reduced growth and accumulation of essential metals (e.g., copper [Cu], zinc [Zn] and manganese [Mn]) in shoots. LC5 was dwarf and developed less tillers than the wild type, but the structure of vasculature was apparently normal. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that the causal gene of LC5 is an ortholog of the transcriptional regulator Arabidopsis thaliana TITANIA (TTA), known as a transcriptional regulator. Expression analyses demonstrated that the OsTTA gene encodes a nucleus-localized protein containing a plant homeodomain-finger (PHD-finger) domain and is expressed ubiquitously in rice plants. RNA sequencing and quantitative PCR analyses revealed that the mRNA accumulation of transporter genes for essential metals, including iron (Fe), Zn, or Mn, were substantially lower in LC5 roots than in the wild type. Unlike known transcription factors of metal transport regulation, OsTTA transcript accumulation was not affected by metal availability. In addition, the growth defect of LC5 was partially rescued by Fe, Zn, or Mn supplementation, respectively. Taken together, OsTTA is a constitutively expressed regulator of multiple metal transporter genes responsible for essential metals delivery to shoots for their normal growth.

Simultaneous analysis of multiple urinary biomarkers for the evaluation of oxidative stress by automated online in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with negative/positive ion-switching mode liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

This study described an automated online method for the simultaneous determination of 8-isoprostane, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, and 3-nitro-l-tyrosine in human urine. The method involves in-tube solid-phase microextraction using a Carboxen 1006 PLOT capillary column as an extraction device, followed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry using a CX column and detection in the negative/positive switching ion-mode by multiple reaction monitoring. Using their stable isotope-labeled internal standards, each of these oxidative stress biomarkers showed good linearity from 0.02 to 2.0 ng/mL. Their detection limits (S/N = 3) were 3.4-21.5 pg/mL, and their intra- and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were >3.9 and 6.5% (n = 5), respectively. This method was applied successfully to the analysis of urine samples, without any other pretreatment and interference peaks.

Atypical Fast-Slow Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia Incorporating a "Superior" Slow Pathway: A Distinct Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmia.

BACKGROUND: The existence of an atypical fast-slow (F/S) atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) including a superior (sup) pathway with slow conductive properties and an atrial exit near the His bundle has not been confirmed. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 6 women and 2 men (age, 74 ± 7 years) with sup-F/S-AVNRT who underwent successful radiofrequency ablation near the His bundle. Programmed ventricular stimulation induced retrograde conduction over a superior SP with an earliest atrial activation near the His bundle, a mean shortest spike-atrial interval of 378 ± 119 milliseconds, and decremental properties in all patients. sup-F/S-AVNRT was characterized by a long-RP interval; a retrograde atrial activation sequence during tachycardia identical to that over a sup-SP during ventricular pacing; ventriculoatrial dissociation during ventricular overdrive pacing of the tachycardia in 5 patients or atrioventricular block occurring during tachycardia in 3 patients, excluding atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia; termination of the tachycardia by ATP; and a V-A-V activation sequence immediately after ventricular induction or entrainment of the tachycardia, including dual atrial responses in 2 patients. Elimination or modification of retrograde conduction over the sup-SP by ablation near the right perinodal region or from the noncoronary cusp of Valsalva eliminated and confirmed the diagnosis of AVNRT in 4 patients each. CONCLUSIONS: sup-F/S-AVNRT is a distinct supraventricular tachycardia, incorporating an SP located above the Koch triangle as the retrograde limb, that can be eliminated by radiofrequency ablation.

Removal of Oral Biofilm on an Implant Fixture by a Cavitating Jet.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the effectiveness of the cavitating jet in removing biofilms from the rough surface of 3-dimensional structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The optimal nozzle dimensions and injection conditions were identified by cavitation impact measurements. Biofilm was grown intraorally for 72 hours by 4 volunteers. The stained fixtures were assigned to different experimental groups. One comparison was performed between the cavitating jet and the water jet at 60 seconds. Additional comparisons were conducted among the time course experiments at 30, 60, and 180 seconds. After injection, the residual plaque biofilm (RPB) area was measured using a digital microscope. RESULTS: The total RPB of the cavitating jet was significantly lower than that of the water jet. Although there were no significant differences between the total RPB at 30 and 60 seconds, a significant difference was detected between 60 and 180 seconds. The RPB on the root sector was significantly lower than that on the crest sector at 60 and 180 seconds. CONCLUSION: The cavitating jet can effectively clean the biofilm formed on the rough surface of the implant screw, especially on the root sector.

Efficacy and safety of bilastine in Japanese patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase II/III study.

BACKGROUND: Bilastine, a novel non-sedating second-generation H1-antihistamine, has been widely used in the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria with a recommended dose of 20 mg once daily in most European countries since 2010. We evaluated its efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II/III study (trial registration No. JapicCTI-142574). Patients (age, 18-74 years) were randomly assigned to receive bilastine 20 mg, 10 mg or placebo once daily for 2 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline (Day -3 to 0) in total symptom score (TSS) at 2 weeks (Day 8-14), consisting of the itch and rash scores. RESULTS: A total of 304 patients were randomly allocated to bilastine 20 mg (101 patients), bilastine 10 mg (100 patients), and placebo (103 patients). The changes in TSS at 2 weeks were significantly decreased by bilastine 20 mg than did placebo (p < 0.001), demonstrating the superiority of bilastine 20 mg. Bilastine 10 mg also showed a significant difference from placebo (p < 0.001). The TSS changes for the bilastine showed significant improvement from Day 1, and were maintained during the treatment period. The Dermatology Life Quality Index scores were also improved in bilastine than in placebo. The bilastine treatments were safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Two-week treatment with bilastine (20 or 10 mg) once daily was effective and tolerable in Japanese patients with CSU, demonstrating an early onset of action.

Therapeutic effect of bilastine in Japanese cedar pollinosis using an artificial exposure chamber (OHIO Chamber).

BACKGROUND: Environmental exposure chambers have been used to expose subjects to aeroallergens to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic treatment with symptomatic agents in Japan. We first examined the therapeutic effect of bilastine (BIL), a novel non-sedative second-generation H1-antihistamine, in subjects with Japanese cedar pollinosis using an artificial exposure chamber (OHIO Chamber). METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, four-way crossover, placebo- and active-controlled phase II study (trial registration number JapicCTI-132213). Subjects were exposed to cedar pollen (8000 grains/m3) for 2 h on Day -1 and 4 h each on Day 1 and 2. BIL 10 or 20 mg, placebo, or fexofenadine hydrochloride (FEX) 60 mg was administered orally 1 h after the start of pollen exposure on Day 1. Placebo or FEX was administered 12 h after the first dosing. The primary efficacy endpoint was the sum of total nasal symptom score (TNSS) from 0 to 3 h after the Day 1 dosing. RESULTS: We enrolled 136 subjects and the sum of TNSS on Day 1 of the three active treatments was significantly lower than that of placebo and was maintained up to 26 h after the first dosing (Day 2). The sum of TNSS or sneezing score on Day 1 after BIL 20 mg was more significantly decreased than after FEX. Moreover, BIL showed a faster onset of action than FEX. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the efficacy, rapid onset, and long duration of action of BIL in subjects with Japanese cedar pollinosis exposed to cedar pollen using the OHIO Chamber.

Efficacy and safety of bilastine in Japanese patients with perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase III study.

BACKGROUND: Bilastine, a novel non-sedating second-generation H1 antihistamine, has been approved in most European countries since 2010. This study aimed to evaluate the superiority of bilastine over placebo in Japanese patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase III study (trial registration number JapicCTI-142600) evaluated the effect of a 2-week treatment period with bilastine (20 mg once daily), fexofenadine (60 mg twice daily), or a matched placebo (double dummy) in patients with PAR. All patients were instructed to record individual nasal and ocular symptoms in diaries daily. The primary endpoint was the mean change in total nasal symptom scores (TNSS) from baseline to Week 2 (Days 10-13). RESULTS: A total of 765 patients were randomly allocated to receive bilastine, fexofenadine, or placebo (256, 254, and 255 patients, respectively). The mean change in TNSS from baseline at Week 2 was significantly decreased by bilastine (-0.98) compared to placebo (-0.63, P = 0.023). Bilastine and fexofenadine showed no significant difference in the primary endpoint. However, the mean change in TNSS from baseline on Day 1 was more significantly decreased by bilastine (-0.99) than by placebo (-0.28, P < 0.001) or fexofenadine (-0.62, P = 0.032). The active drugs also improved instantaneous TNSS 1 h after the first and before the second drug administration on Day 1 (P < 0.05). The study drugs were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: After 2-week treatment period, bilastine 20 mg once daily was effective and tolerable in Japanese patients with PAR, and exhibited a rapid onset of action.

Enhanced and suppressed mineralization by acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate in osteoblast cultures.

It is known that diabetes aggravates alveolar bone loss associated with periodontitis. While insulin depletion increases the blood concentration of ketone bodies, i.e., acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate, their roles in bone metabolism have not been much studied until today. We investigated the effects of acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate on mineralization of extracellular matrix in cultures of mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and primary mouse osteoblasts in the presence and absence of bone morphogenetic protein-2. Acetoacetate potentiated alkaline phosphatase activity in MC3T3-E1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, ranging from physiological to pathological concentrations (0.05-5 mmol/L). In contrast, ß-hydroxybutyrate lowered it in the same experimental settings. Mineralization in cultures of these cells was also up-regulated by acetoacetate and down-regulated by ß-hydroxybutyrate. Similar results were obtained in cultures of mouse primary osteoblasts. Neither alkaline phosphatase mRNA nor its protein expression in MC3T3-E1 cells was affected by acetoacetate or ß-hydroxybutyrate, indicating that these ketone bodies control the enzyme activity of alkaline phosphatase in osteoblasts and hence their mineralization bi-directionally. Finally, either gene silencing of monocarboxylate transporter-1, a major transmembrate transporter for ketone bodies, nullified the effects of ketone bodies on alkaline phosphatase activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Collectively, we found that ketone bodies bidirectionally modulates osteoblast functions, which suggests that ketone bodies are important endogenous factors that regulate bone metabolism in both physiological and pathological situations.

The concentration of iodine in horse serum and its relationship with thyroxin concentration by geological difference.

In this study, iodine and thyroxin (T4) concentrations in the serum of 69 horses were investigated. Higher iodine concentrations were obtained from the horses housed in Chiba Prefecture. In contrast, T4 concentrations of horses at Shizuoka Prefecture were higher than those of horses at Chiba Prefecture. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.643, P < 0.001) between the iodine and T4 concentrations of horses at Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures. Although a significant correlation (r = 0.794, P < 0.001) was also observed in the investigation of all horses at Chiba Prefecture, the distribution area of the data was separated from the data of horses housed in Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures. A higher iodine concentration in the environment is expected in the sampling area at Chiba Prefecture. Thus, it was suggested that the concentrations of iodine in the serum of horses are influenced by geological differences. It was thought that equine serum is a useful sample for monitoring.

Early senescence of the oldest leaves of Fe-deficient barley plants may contribute to phytosiderophore release from the roots.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare), which tolerates iron (Fe) deficiency, secretes a large amount of phytosiderophores from its roots. However, how barley is able to allocate resources for phytosiderophore synthesis when the carbon assimilation rate is reduced by Fe deficiency is unknown. We previously suggested that the acceleration of senescence in older leaves triggered by Fe deficiency may allow the recycling of assimilates to contribute to phytosiderophore synthesis. In this work, we show the relationship between an increase in the C/N ratio in older leaves and Fe-deficiency tolerance among three barley cultivars. The increase in the C/N ratio suggests an enhanced capacity for the retranslocation of carbohydrates or amino acids from older leaves to the sink organs. An increase in the sucrose concentration in Fe-deficient barley also suggests active redistribution of assimilates. This metabolic modulation may be supported by accelerated senescence of older leaves, as Fe deficiency increased the expression of senescence-associated genes. The older leaves of Fe-deficient barley maintained CO2 assimilation under Fe deficiency. Barley that had been Fe-deficient for 3 days preferentially allocated newly assimilated (13) C to the roots and nutrient solution. Interestingly, the oldest leaf of Fe-deficient barley released more (13) C into the nutrient solution than the second oldest leaf. Thus, the balance between anabolism and catabolism in older leaves, supported by highly regulated senescence, plays a key role in metabolic adaptation in Fe-deficient barley.

Electroanatomically estimated length of slow pathway in atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

The length of the slow pathway (SP-L) in atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia (NRT) has never been measured clinically. We studied the relationship among (a) SP-L, i.e., the distance between the most proximal His bundle (H) recording and the most posterior site of radiofrequency (RF) delivery associated with a junctional rhythm, (b) the length of Koch's triangle (Koch-L), (c) the conduction time over the slow pathway (SP-T), measured by the AH interval during AVNRT at baseline, and (d) the distance between H and the site of successful ablation (SucABL-L) in 26 women and 20 men (mean age 64.6 ± 11.6 years), using a stepwise approach and an electroanatomic mapping system (EAMS). SP-L (15.0 ± 5.8 mm) was correlated with Koch-L (18.6 ± 5.6 mm; R 2 = 0.1665, P < 0.005), SP-T (415 ± 100 ms; R 2 = 0.3425, P = 0.036), and SucABL-L (11.6 ± 4.7 mm; R 2 = 0.5243, P < 0.0001). The site of successful ablation was located within 10 mm of the posterior end of the SP in 38 patients (82.6 %). EAMS-guided RF ablation, using a stepwise approach, revealed individual variations in SP-L related to the size of Koch's triangle and AH interval during AVNRT. Since the site of successful ablation was also correlated with SP-L and was usually located near the posterior end of the SP, ablating anteriorly, away from the posterior end, is not a prerequisite for the success of ablation procedures.

Pseudo-postpacing interval of diastolic potential after entrainment pacing of remote bystander pathway in reentrant ventricular tachycardia.

After entrainment pacing, the postpacing interval of a diastolic potential may be misinterpreted if the distal tip of the ablation catheter captures a remote bystander pathway adjacent to the critical isthmus of a complex reentrant circuit in a structurally diseased heart. We discuss this possible pitfall of entrainment mapping of reentrant ventricular tachycardia, observed after a healed myocardial infarction.

Successful ablation of atypical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia from a noncoronary sinus of Valsalva.

An 81-year-old man with long RP narrow QRS tachycardia underwent catheter ablation. Ventricular pacing reset the atrial cycle over a retrograde slow pathway, followed by termination of the tachycardia without atrial capture, confirming the diagnosis of fast-slow atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). The earliest atrial activation during tachycardia was found in the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva, where the first delivery of radiofrequency energy terminated and eliminated the inducibility of the tachycardia, by retrograde conduction block over the slow pathway. This is the first report of a fast-slow AVNRT, with successful ablation of the slow pathway from a noncoronary sinus of Valsalva.