Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis and maintenance of respiratory competent mitochondria in yeast.

Mitochondrial FAS (fatty acid synthesis) of type II is a widely conserved process in eukaryotic organisms, with particular importance for respiratory competence and mitochondrial morphology maintenance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The recent characterization of three missing enzymes completes the pathway. Etr1p (enoyl thioester reductase) was identified via purification of the protein followed by molecular cloning. To study the link between FAS and cell respiration further, we also created a yeast strain that has FabI enoyl-ACP (acyl-carrier protein) reductase gene from Escherichia coli engineered to carry a mitochondrial targeting sequence in the genome, replacing the endogenous ETR1 gene. This strain is respiratory competent, but unlike the ETR1 wild-type strain, it is sensitive to triclosan on media containing only non-fermentable carbon source. A colony-colour-sectoring screen was applied for cloning of YHR067w/RMD12, the gene encoding mitochondrial 3-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase (Htd2/Yhr067p), the last missing component of the mitochondrial FAS. Finally, Hfa1p was shown to be the mitochondrial acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

Treatment of nevus Ota by liquid nitrogen cryotherapy.

Nevus Ota is a disfiguring facial dermal melanosis that is observed rarely in Caucasians but is common in Asians. Until recently, carbon dioxide snow cryotherapy had been used most frequently to treat this disorder, but the results were not always satisfactory and often left scarring after treatment. During the past 15 years, we have treated a total of 600 cases of dermal pigmentary facial disfiguration using CRYO-MINI, a liquid nitrogen cryogenic instrument with a removable disk-shaped copper tip. We have found this method to be simple and extremely effective in the treatment of nevus Ota and senile lentigines, and it is also useful for treatment of delayed nevus spilus and blue nevus. This report presents our techniques and experiences as well as the results achieved with four patients who have a deeply situated type of nevus Ota. Associated problems to be considered in future treatment are discussed also.

[Application of the Ricketts analysis to children in the primary dentition. Fourth Report: development of lateral cephalogram analysis system and consideration of facial pattern].

A lateral cephalogram analysis system has been developed allowing an extended application of the Ricketts analysis to primary dentition. Using this system, we first examined the growth of facial patterns from the BA-NA ratio profilograms. As samples, we used records of children with normal occlusions stored at Nihon University School of Dentistry Department of Pedodontics. We then used the Fuzzy theory to change Vert's formula and obtained facial types. Lastly, we obtained compositional ratios of facial types within each age group. The results were as follows: 1) Facial patterns tended to show three divisions according to three age groups; from 3 to 5-year olds, from 6 to 7-year olds and from 8 to 10-year olds. 2) The Vert's values of the BA-NA ratio profilograms in each age group based on the data of 9-year olds tended to decrease as age increased. The change was mostly restricted to the range of Mesiofacial type. 3) As for the compositional ratio of facial types in each age group, a nearly normal distribution was observed mainly with the Mesiofacial type. 4) From the lateral cephalogram analysis system which has been developed and the profilograms of the average values for each age group which have been obtained by this system, we obtained the standard values for future evaluation of facial patterns of children with malocclusions.

Sex-linked differences in susceptibility of cynomolgus monkeys to type II collagen-induced arthritis. Evidence that epitope-specific immune suppression is involved in the regulation of type II collagen autoantibody formation.

To determine whether sex-linked factors are important in the susceptibility and resistance of cynomolgus monkeys to type II collagen-induced arthritis, we immunized 5 males and 10 females with chick type II collagen (CII) and studied their clinical and immune responses. All 10 females developed overt arthritis and produced antibodies to CII and cross-reactive antibodies to monkey type II collagen (MkII). In contrast, only 1 male monkey developed arthritis, which was transient and mild in severity. Examination of antisera obtained from the male monkeys disclosed high titers of antibody to CII, but little antibody to MkII. The cyanogen bromide peptide recognition patterns varied markedly from animal to animal, implying that monkeys are capable of recognizing multiple arthritogenic determinants on CII.