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[Background] Maintaining physical activity is important for older adults. “Self-care agency” is the ability to perform self-care, which is defined as people following their own will, managing themselves, and maintaining activities. We investigated the relationship among physical activity and self-care agency, demographic factors and physical condition in older adults. [Methods] Self-care agency was assessed by using the Self-Care Agency Questionnaire developed for Japanese patients with chronic diseases. Among 175 older adults aged 65 years or older living in a rural area, responses from 83 who performed physical activities were analyzed. Correspondence analysis was conducted to characterize demographic factors and self-care agency. [Results] A higher proportion of women than men were engaged in physical activity. Irrespective of age and sex, many of the participants performed stretching exercises, walking, radio exercises, TV exercises, and participated in community circles. Participants who engaged in physical activities had significantly higher self-care agency scores than inactive participants. Among the active participants, the self-care agency score was significantly higher for women than men (P = .04) and was also significantly higher for participants aged ≥ 75 years compared to those aged < 75 years. Individuals with a high self-care agency tended to participate in local programs and perform brief physical activities at home. [Conclusion] Physically active older adults demonstrated high self-care agency. Their activities were easily carried out in their daily lives, with activities varying by age and sex. Support from community health experts is needed to promote suitable physical activity among older adults tailored for age and sex, especially among older adults who have low self-care agency.

[Background] Self-care agency is an important determinant of self-care behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify the causal relationship between self-care agency and healthy behavior, and to construct a conceptual model of healthy behavior among older people living in a rural community. [Methods] This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey at the Hino, a town in western Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Participants who were enrolled in the Good Ageing and Intervention against Nursing Care and Activity Decline (GAINA) study from 2014 to 2018 (467 new participants) were initially investigated. Of 398 participants aged ? 65 years, 5 were excluded due to missing data, and thus 393 were analyzed. Nurse researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to check the accuracy of data obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic information, physical condition (comorbidities, knee pain, low back pain, and locomotive syndrome), healthy behavior, and self-care agency. Correlations among variables were investigated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, and path analysis was performed to assess causal relationships. [Results] A total of 393 persons (160 men and 233 women) were investigated, ranging in age from 65 to 92 years, with a mean age of 75.1 years (SD: 6.9 years). Path analysis revealed poor fit of a model in which pain and locomotive syndrome were factors inhibiting healthy behavior. When the model included only self-care agency, the indices of model fit were almost satisfactory (Goodness-of-fit index = 0.967, Adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.900, Comparative fit index = 0.951, and Root mean square error of approximation = 0.088), and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.38. The self-care agency items with the greatest influence on healthy behavior were the ability to “grasp the techniques/tips needed to maintain health,” and the ability to “persist with healthy behavior.” [Conclusion] Self-care agency can promote healthy behavior among community-dwelling older people. Regardless of physical problems such as pain and locomotive syndrome, older people have the potential to adopt positive healthy behavior if they acquire self-care agency.

We report on a 44-year-old woman who was diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) during the recovery phase from autoimmune limbic encephalitis with anti-glutamate receptor antibodies. Both, autoimmune limbic encephalitis and TEN are very rare diseases. The co-existence of the two diseases has not yet been reported. We speculate that the total of 18 drugs needed for the treatment of encephalitis might have increased the risk of TEN. Similar reports would be required to elucidate the pathophysiology of the co-existence.

The purpose of this 2 year longitudinal study was to identify the relationship between self-care agency, lifestyle, physical condition, and frailty among community-dwelling older people in a rural area of Japan. The participants were 133 older individuals aged 65 years or above. Data collection was conducted via face-to-face interviews using self-administered questionnaires. Background information, such as age, sex, current employment status, family structure, medication use, comorbidities, and knee and lower back pain, were assessed. The definition of frailty was based on the Frailty Checklist. Self-care agency, lifestyle habits, and locomotive syndrome were assessed using specific assessment scores. Logistic regression analysis showed that locomotive syndrome, knee and lower back pain, and stroke are risk factors for frailty. Among the factors associated with frailty, current employment, regular exercise, and self-care agency were recognized as preventive factors of depression, decreased cognitive function, and being housebound. Our findings suggest that enhancing self-care agency, regular exercise, and self-management skills for chronic illness and disability may decrease the progression of frailty among older people.

PurposeThe present study aimed to reveal trends in simulated education in Japanese gerontological nursing by conducting a text mining analysis of the Igaku Chuo Zasshi databank.MethodsSimulated education is focused by field of Japanese nursing education in recently. Therefore, we searched for original articles containing the terms “Simulated education” and “gerontological nursing” which were published between 2014and 2019. Articles containing these terms, as well as thesaurus words in the articles, were analyzed using Trend Search. The analysis provided a conceptual map of related words, with the strength of the relationship reflected in the thickness of lines and the distance between them.Igaku Chuo ZasshiA literature search was conducted using Igaku Chuo Zasshi, the Japanese medical literature database provided by the NPO Japan Medical Abstracts Society. This database comprises approximately 5000 journal titles and 6,300,000 articles.Text mining softwareTrend Search is a commercially available software developed by FUJITSU. Articles were anonymized prior to analysis.Ethical considerationsOnly anonymous articles were selected.Results and ConclusionsThe search identified 15 articles. Mapping yielded the two wedges of [Learning] and [Simulated game]. The [Learning] wedge had three groups ( Introduce, Communications, and Aging ). Introduce refers to nursing processes via simulated patients or role play. Communications refers to practice in gerontological nursing. Aging refers to role playing with group works in fundamental nursing. The [Simulated game] wedge had two groups (Effects and On-the-job training). Effects refers to leaving bed or psychographics. On-the-job training refers to simulation of elderly because of understanding.

The purpose of this 2 year longitudinal study was to identify the relationship between self-care agency, lifestyle, physical condition, and frailty among community-dwelling older people in a rural area of Japan. The participants were 133 older individuals aged 65 years or above. Data collection was conducted via face-to-face interviews using self-administered questionnaires. Background information, such as age, sex, current employment status, family structure, medication use, comorbidities, and knee and lower back pain, were assessed. The definition of frailty was based on the Frailty Checklist. Self-care agency, lifestyle habits, and locomotive syndrome were assessed using specific assessment scores. Logistic regression analysis showed that locomotive syndrome, knee and lower back pain, and stroke are risk factors for frailty. Among the factors associated with frailty, current employment, regular exercise, and self-care agency were recognized as preventive factors of depression, decreased cognitive function, and being housebound. Our findings suggest that enhancing self-care agency, regular exercise, and self-management skills for chronic illness and disability may decrease the progression of frailty among older people.

Scleredema adultorum, also known as scleredema of Buschke, is a rare connective tissue disease with unknown etiology, which is characterized by diffuse skin induration of face, neck, upper chest, back, shoulders and arms. Although there is no established treatment for this disease, the efficacy of phototherapy has been reported. We herein describe a case of scleredema adultorum successfully treated with narrow-band ultraviolet B and discuss a potential mechanism explaining its efficacy for fibrotic skin diseases.

Summary 1. Regulatory T cells (Treg) and cytotoxic T cells (CTL) are involved in various immune diseases. However, the prognostic impact of Treg and CTL in patients with myeroperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis (MPO-ANCA-GN) is not well known. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the relationship between expression of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) and T cell intracytoplasmic antigen (TIA)-1, Treg and CTL markers and renal survival in patients with MPO-ANCA-GN. 2. Forty patients with MPO-ANCA-GN and 10 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) underwent physical examination, determination of blood chemistry and renal biopsy. Immunohistochemical staining for Foxp3 and TIA-1 was performed on paraffin-embedded renal sections. 3. Although almost all patients received standard immunosuppressive treatment for 6 months, seven MPO-ANCA-GN patients needed maintenance haemodialysis (HD), whereas 33 patients did not (non-HD). Both Foxp3- and TIA-1-positive cells were detected in the interstitium and glomeruli of MPO-ANCA-GN patients, whereas they were rarely detected in patients with MCNS. The total crescent rate was significantly higher in the HD group than in the non-HD group (35.9 ± 3.5 vs 65.8 ± 7.4, respectively). In the interstitium, the age-adjusted Foxp3/TIA-1 ratio was significantly higher in the non-HD group than in the HD group (0.016 ± 0.016 vs 0.004 ± 0.008, respectively; P

Background/Aim:Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) has been implicated in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease. However, there is no knowledge about the correlations between serum levels of MMP-2, proteinuria and atherosclerosis in patients with CKD. We investigated whether serum MMP-2 levels were associated with proteinuria, intima media thickness (IMT), and the presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in CKD patients. Methods: CKD patients without hemodialysis (n = 99) were enrolled. MMP-2 levels were measured by an ELISA system. IMT and carotid atherosclerotic plaque were evaluated by a high-resolution ultrasonography. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed that low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.001), MMP-2 (p = 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.011) were independent correlates of proteinuria. Age- and serum creatinine-adjusted MMP-2 levels were significantly increased (p = 0.001) in proportion to the increasing levels of proteinuria. Further, age (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.015) and MMP-2 levels (p = 0.042) were independent correlates of IMT. MMP-2 levels were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in patients with atherosclerotic plaque than those without it. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that serum levels of MMP-2 were one of the independent correlates of proteinuria and IMT in patients with CKD. Our results suggest that serum MMP-2 levels may be one of the risk factors for renal damage and atherosclerosis in CKD patients.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a product generated during oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and a major lipid extracted from human atherosclerotic plaques, has been shown to elicit smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and inflammation, thereby being involved in atherogenesis. Recently, statins, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, have been reported to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and slows the progression of atherosclerosis, at least partly, via pleiotropic effects. However, the effect of statin on the LPA-signaling in SMCs remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether and how pitavastatin could inhibit the LPA-induced proliferation and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in cultured human aortic SMCs. LPA dose-dependently increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in SMCs, which was blocked by diphenylene iodonium (DPI), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase or pitavastatin. The anti-oxidative property of pitavastatin was prevented by simultaneous treatment of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. Furthermore, overexpression of dominant negative Rac-1 mutant was found to inhibit the LPA-induced ROS generation in SMCs. LPA induced Rac-1 activation in SMCs, which was suppressed by pitavastatin or LPA receptor antagonist. Pitavastatin, DPI, and an anti-oxidant N-acetylcysteine inhibited the LPA-induced proliferation and MCP-1 gene expression in SMCs. These results suggest that pitavastatin could block the LPA-induced proliferation and MCP-1 expression in SMCs by suppressing Rac-1-mediated NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation. Our present study provides a novel beneficial aspect of pitavastatin; pitavastatin may act as a blocker of the LPA-signaling in SMCs.

人の音の聴き方は,それぞれの人の生きてきた環境や文化によって形成されると考えられる。そこで,ひとつの仕事を何十年も追求するという仕事の性質から,文化を生み出し,さらに地域の典型的な文化を代表している職人といわれる人の音の聴き方について検討した。今回,仕事場にはかなりたくさんの大きな音があるにもかかわらず,作品を彫っている彼の世界には「音がない」と語る木工芸家森田翠玉のサウンドスケープを考察した。そこには,物理的な無音の状態ということではなく,木を彫っている彼は音と一体化しており,彼自身が音の世界に入り込んでいるために,そこには「音がない」という彼の音の世界を見ることができた。

人の音に対する反応は,その人が生活してきた自然環境や社会環境に根差しており,その人の生活文化を物語るものである。それゆえに,人が音を聴くということは,それ自体が生活の歴史の中で培われてきた文化として捉えることができる。したがって,その人の持つ音の文化は,その人固有の生活と強く関連するものと考えることができる。本稿は,柿渋を主とした染色家岡林染里を取り上げ,染めという固有の生活の中で捉えられた音を分析することによって,彼の音の文化を検討した。

Dialysis patients often develop constipation and changes in intestinal bacterial flora. Indoxylsulfuric acid (IS) levels rise as glomerular filtration decreases, and patients with renal failure have high IS. Elevated IS is also caused by increased indole due to altered intestinal flora (Takayama et al, Am J Kidney Dis. 2003). We investigated whether administering partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) (Sunfiber: a product of Taiyokagaku Co., Ltd., Japan) ameliorates constipation and improves nutritional status in dialysis patients, while decreasing IS levels. Thirty-five patients on maintenance dialysis (mean age, 71 ± 9; male/female= 22/13) ingested PHGG (10 g/day) for 6 weeks. Defecation was scored before and after PHGG intake using a modified Constipation Assessment Scale-Long Term (Japanese version). Nutritional status was rated according to the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) before and after PHGG intake. IS was measured in 8 patients taking PHGG orally for 24 weeks, for comparison with those in 8 patients not on PHGG. Constipation scores decreased from 7.9 to 5.0 (p 〈.01) and GNRI increased from 95.0 ± 5.0 to 95.9 ± 5.7 (p 〈.05), reflecting amelioration of constipation and improved nutritional status. The ratio of IS after to that before PHGG intake was calculated to analyze the magnitude of IS change. The ratio in patients not on PHGG was 1.2 ± 0.3, i.e. IS rose, while that in patients taking PHGG was significantly reduced (0.8 ± 0.3, p 〈.05). Our results indicate PHGG consumption to ameliorate constipation and improve nutritional status, and that continued intake reduces IS, in dialysis patients.

Gout is a disorder of uric acid metabolism potentially associated with deposition of urate crystals in soft tissues and joint inflammation. With recent advances in the diagnosis/treatment of gout, gouty tophi are rarely encountered, except those caused by poor treatment. Patients with tophi should be treated carefully, because uric acid lowering in these patients can precipitate gout attacks. Here, we report a patient with giant gouty tophi in whom a fierce gouty attack was precipitated after urgent hemodialysis. An 80-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. He had a long history of renal failure and gout and had routinely taken nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for gout attacks by preference. Therefore, because of insufficient treatment, he developed numerous gouty tophi in multiple joints (Fig. 1a). On admission, he had anemia (hemoglobin 5.7 g/ dl), renal failure (serum creatinine 4.2 mg/dl, blood urea nitrogen 85.7 mg/dl), and hyperkalemia (serum potassium 6.3 mmol/l). In view of the renal failure and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealing a bleeding duodenal ulcer, we performed urgent hemodialysis. After dialysis initiation, the patient complained of fierce pain in multiple joints, which had become red and swollen (Fig. 1c). Body temperature increased to 39.5 C and serum C-reactive protein level to 22.5 mg/dl. Since knee joint aspiration revealed urate crystals, we concluded that the gout attack was triggered by acute mobilization of uric acid by dialysis. However, despite the inflammation, the persistent renal failure necessitated continuation of the hemodialysis. Furthermore, despite the severe pain, NSAID use was contraindicated because of the duodenal ulcer. Therefore, oral steroid therapy (prednisolone 30 mg daily, then gradually reduced) was initiated, which reduced the inflammatory reaction and joint swellings (Fig. 1d). Finally, dialysis was discontinued after 8 sessions as renal function improved. After the acute phase, allopurinol (100 mg daily) was started to lower uric acid production; however, it led to liver dysfunction (total bilirubin 12.1 mg/dl). After recovery of liver function, therefore, treatment with febuxostat was initiated (10 mg daily for 2 weeks, then 20 mg daily for a further 4 weeks), which safely decreased the serum uric acid, without any side-effects; eventually, the treatment resulted in marked resolution of the tophaceous gout (Fig. 1b). Urate crystals are normally coated with serum proteins (apolipoprotein E or B) which inhibit urate crystal-induced inflammatory responses [1]. Serum urate reduction causes partial dissolution of microtophi with release of uncoated urate crystals. Macrophages recognize uncoated urate crystals by specific Toll-like receptors, and activate the innate immune system; then, production of interleukin-1 triggers a cascade of pro-inflammatory cytokines [2]. Febuxostat, a potent xanthine oxidase inhibitor, is metabolized mainly by glucuronide formation and oxidation in the liver, and can therefore be safely used in patients with renal failure [3]. We achieved successful control of the inflammation with the steroid and resolution of the gouty tophi with febuxostat. Our findings emphasize the need to bear the N. Iwata H. Maeda (&) J. Yoshimura S. Sakai Shimonoseki City Hospital, 1-13-1 Koyo-cho, Yamaguchi 750-8520, Japan e-mail: gridlejp@yahoo.co.jp

1. Regulatory T cells (T(reg)) and cytotoxic T cells (CTL) are involved in various immune diseases. However, the prognostic impact of T(reg) and CTL in patients with myeroperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis (MPO-ANCA-GN) is not well known. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the relationship between expression of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) and T cell intracytoplasmic antigen (TIA)-1, T(reg) and CTL markers and renal survival in patients with MPO-ANCA-GN. 2. Forty patients with MPO-ANCA-GN and 10 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) underwent physical examination, determination of blood chemistry and renal biopsy. Immunohistochemical staining for Foxp3 and TIA-1 was performed on paraffin-embedded renal sections. 3. Although almost all patients received standard immunosuppressive treatment for 6 months, seven MPO-ANCA-GN patients needed maintenance haemodialysis (HD), whereas 33 patients did not (non-HD). Both Foxp3- and TIA-1-positive cells were detected in the interstitium and glomeruli of MPO-ANCA-GN patients, whereas they were rarely detected in patients with MCNS. The total crescent rate was significantly higher in the HD group than in the non-HD group (35.9 +/- 3.5 vs 65.8 +/- 7.4, respectively). In the interstitium, the age-adjusted Foxp3/TIA-1 ratio was significantly higher in the non-HD group than in the HD group (0.016 +/- 0.016 vs 0.004 +/- 0.008, respectively; P0.05). The Foxp3/TIA-1 ratio, but not the Foxp3/CD3 ratio, remained significantly higher in the non-HD group than in the HD group even after adjustment for crescent rate. Age- and total crescent rate-adjusted renal survival rates were higher in patients with a Foxp3/TIA-1 ratioor = 0.06 than in patients with a Foxp3/TIA-1 ratio0.06 (P = 0.02). 4. The results of the present study suggest that T(reg) could play a protective role against MPO-ANCA-GN and that a decreased Foxp3/TIA-1 ratio in interstitial areas may predict future renal failure in patients with MPO-ANCA-GN.

We report the first case of acute kidney injury related to intravenous zoledronic acid (ZA)in a patient with multiple myeloma in Japan. A 37-year-old male was diagnosed as having multiple myeloma (MM) of the Bence Jones lambda type. He showed a good response to two courses of vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone (VAD) therapy, and remarkable reduction was seen in plasma cells in bone marrow from 38.4% to 6.8% and 24-hour urine protein from 18.5 g/dL to 2.8 g/dL. At that time, serum Cr(s-Cr) of 0.7 mg/dL and calcium of 9.3 mg/dL were in the normal range. ZA was administered intravenously at the dose of 4 mg for the first time. Subsequently, he developed a fever of up to 39.4 degrees C and used NSAIDs and cefepime. Four days later, s-Cr increasd rapidly to 7.3 mg/ dL and he received hemodialysis (HD) therapy. Four weeks later, renal biopsy was performed and demonstrated cast nephropathy (CN) and acute tubular necrosis. Seven months later, renal function had improved. ZA may be an identifiable precipitating factor of CN. We recommend that ZA should be used with caution, especially hypovolemia and NSAIDs, in patients with MM and renal insufficiency.

Mesangiolytic glomerulopathy is an uncommon complication of irradiation and chemotherapy of THP-COP [pirarubicin, cyclophosphamide (CPA), vincristin (VCR), predonisolone (PSL)] and CHOP (CPA, Doxorubicin, VCR, PSL). We report a case of 63-year-old man 7 months status post radiation, and 10 months post chemotherapy for gastric lymphoma. The patient showed proteinuria and mild renal insufficiency. Renal biopsy revealed marked mesangiolysis in the glomeruli without any immune depositions. After the administration of angiotensin II receptor blocker, the patient's renal function remained stable for over two years. Mesangiolysis was thought to be a characteristic glomerular lesion in this patient treated with both chemoagents and radiation.

We previously reported a significant increase in plasma TGF-beta1 in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Progression of CRF may be caused by persistent renal production of TGF-beta1. In CRF rat models, an oral carbonic absorbent (AST-120) reduces the expression of the TGF-beta1 gene in the kidney, and delays the progression of CRF, in part by alleviating the overload of indoxyl sulfate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AST-120 on plasma levels of indoxyl sulfate and TGF-beta1 in CRF patients.Ten CRF patients (aged 59.3 +/- 9.5 years, 5 men, serum creatinine 4.37 +/- 1.72 mg/dl) were enrolled in this study. All patients maintained a regular dietary therapy and the same medication throughout the study. AST-120 was added at a dose of 6 g/day. Parameters including the slope of the reciprocal of the serum creatinine-time plot, plasma indoxyl sulfate level, and plasma and urinary levels of TGF-beta1 were compared before and after the treatment with AST-120. The mean observation periods before and after the treatment were 9.7 +/- 2.8 and 6.5 +/- 2.9 months, respectively.Administration of AST-120 significantly reduced the plasma levels of indoxyl sulfate (1.42 +/- 1.50 vs. 1.26 +/- 1.40 mg/dl, P0.05) and TGF-beta1 (17.9 +/- 7.2 vs. 10.6 +/- 4.7 ng/ml, P0.05) and improved the slope of the reciprocal of serum creatinine (-0.061 +/- 0.041 vs. -0.032 +/- 0.055 dl/mg/year, P0.05).These results support the notion that indoxyl sulfate and TGF-beta1 may be involved in the progression of CRF, and that the oral adsorbent AST-120 may suppress the progression, at least in part, by reducing overproduction of TGF-beta1.

We have newly developed a high-pressure polymer NMR cell, which has a versatile use for both batchwise and on-line operations. The high-pressure cell withstands temperatures and pressures, at least, up to 373 K and 35 MPa, respectively. It was demonstrated that the sample solutions of not only viscous carbon tetrachloride but also non-viscous subcritical carbon dioxide smoothly flow in and out at moderate flow rates by measuring the flow rate dependence of the longitudinal relaxation times.

The addition of ATP or PP i retarded conspicuously the rate of specific binding of trinitrobenzenesulfonate to one mole of lysine residue in 2.1·10 5 g of myosin A. The rate of specific binding of trinitrobenzenesulfonate to myosin A was increased in 4M LiBr which melts almost completely the helical structure of myosin A. The rate was also remarkably influenced by the treatment of myosin A with 1.5 M LiBr which inactivated ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) without changing significantly the helical content of the myosin A molecule as a whole. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that actomyosin reconstituted from myosin A treated with p -chloromercuribenzoate and β-mercaptoethanol does not show a clearing response on addition of high concentrations of ATP and its ATPase activity is not inhibited by the substrate or by EDTA. The p -chloromercuribenzotae added was completely removed from myosin A by the further addition of excess β-mercaptoethanol and the optical rotatory dispersion of myosin A was insignificantly altered by the treatment with p -chloromercuribenzoate and β-mercaptoethanol.

1. 1. The inhibition by excess substrate of myosin B-ATPase commences at a lower concentration of ATP as the ionic strength increases. 2. 2. A marked inhibition by substrate is observed in the presence of Mg ++ and a weak one in the presence of Mn ++ . In the presence of other bivalent cations, no inhibition can be observed. 3. 3. The inhibition by substrate disappears on the addition of a small amount of PCMB or Salyrgan. 4. 4. The inhibition by substrate is remarkably promoted by chelate compounds. Their promoting effect parallels closely with their relaxing effect of muscle model. 5. 5. It is demonstrated that the ATPase activity of superprecipitated myosin B is very much higher than that of a nonsuperprecipitated one, and it is concluded that the inhibition by substrate is due to the inhibition of superprecipitation by a high concentration of ATP. 6. 6. The ATP level, where the inhibition commences, is increased by an increase of the actin content of synthetic actomyosin, and at a sufficiently high ATP ATPase activity of synthetic actomyosin approaches that of myosin A.

The application of a compact high-performance electron spin resonance (ESR) instrument for quality control during malting was studied. The ESR can analyze not only liquids but also solid samples without complicated sample preparation procedures. The ESR spectrum of the green malt or malt was measured by using Mn 2+ as an internal standard with a compact high-performance ESR spectrometer (ES-10; Nikkiso Co., Ltd., Tokyo). Routine malt quality tests were also carried out according to the methods of the European Brewery Convention. Barley, green malt, and malt showed one peak signal derived from a stable organic radical (g = 2.005). The signal intensity of the green malt or malt increased with the increasing steep-out moisture or germination time periods or both. The signal intensity of the malt showed a correlation with several parameters indicating malt modification, such as the Kolbach index, Hartong index at 45°C, diastatic power, viscosity, friability, and beta-glucan content. Therefore, the ESR analysis can be used as a simple quality control technique for malting.