An ancient family of embryonically expressed mouse genes sharing a conserved protein motif with the T locus.

The T locus encodes a product with DNA binding activity that is likely to play a role in the development of all vertebrate organisms. We have identified and characterized a novel family of mouse genes that share a protein motif, the T-box, with the prototypical T locus. The T-box domain of the T locus co-localizes with its DNA binding activity. Each T-box gene is expressed in a unique temporal and spatial pattern during embryogenesis. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that at least three T-box genes were present in the common ancestor to vertebrates and invertebrates. Thus, members of the T-box family could have played a role in the evolution of all metazoan organisms.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 154-213.

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Camarosporium aloes, Phaeococcomyces aloes and Phoma aloes from Aloe, C. psoraleae, Diaporthe psoraleae and D. psoraleae-pinnatae from Psoralea, Colletotrichum euphorbiae from Euphorbia, Coniothyrium prosopidis and Peyronellaea prosopidis from Prosopis, Diaporthe cassines from Cassine, D. diospyricola from Diospyros, Diaporthe maytenicola from Maytenus, Harknessia proteae from Protea, Neofusicoccum ursorum and N. cryptoaustrale from Eucalyptus, Ochrocladosporium adansoniae from Adansonia, Pilidium pseudoconcavum from Greyia radlkoferi, Stagonospora pseudopaludosa from Phragmites and Toxicocladosporium ficiniae from Ficinia. Several species were also described from Thailand, namely: Chaetopsina pini and C. pinicola from Pinus spp., Myrmecridium thailandicum from reed litter, Passalora pseudotithoniae from Tithonia, Pallidocercospora ventilago from Ventilago, Pyricularia bothriochloae from Bothriochloa and Sphaerulina rhododendricola from Rhododendron. Novelties from Spain include Cladophialophora multiseptata, Knufia tsunedae and Pleuroascus rectipilus from soil and Cyphellophora catalaunica from river sediments. Species from the USA include Bipolaris drechsleri from Microstegium, Calonectria blephiliae from Blephilia, Kellermania macrospora (epitype) and K. pseudoyuccigena from Yucca. Three new species are described from Mexico, namely Neophaeosphaeria agaves and K. agaves from Agave and Phytophthora ipomoeae from Ipomoea. Other African species include Calonectria mossambicensis from Eucalyptus (Mozambique), Harzia cameroonensis from an unknown creeper (Cameroon), Mastigosporella anisophylleae from Anisophyllea (Zambia) and Teratosphaeria terminaliae from Terminalia (Zimbabwe). Species from Europe include Auxarthron longisporum from forest soil (Portugal), Discosia pseudoartocreas from Tilia (Austria), Paraconiothyrium polonense and P. lycopodinum from Lycopodium (Poland) and Stachybotrys oleronensis from Iris (France). Two species of Chrysosporium are described from Antarctica, namely C. magnasporum and C. oceanitesii. Finally, Licea xanthospora is described from Australia, Hypochnicium huinayensis from Chile and Custingophora blanchettei from Uruguay. Novel genera of Ascomycetes include Neomycosphaerella from Pseudopentameris macrantha (South Africa), and Paramycosphaerella from Brachystegia sp. (Zimbabwe). Novel hyphomycete genera include Pseudocatenomycopsis from Rothmannia (Zambia), Neopseudocercospora from Terminalia (Zambia) and Neodeightoniella from Phragmites (South Africa), while Dimorphiopsis from Brachystegia (Zambia) represents a novel coelomycetous genus. Furthermore, Alanphillipsia is introduced as a new genus in the Botryosphaeriaceae with four species, A. aloes, A. aloeigena and A. aloetica from Aloe spp. and A. euphorbiae from Euphorbia sp. (South Africa). A new combination is also proposed for Brachysporium torulosum (Deightoniella black tip of banana) as Corynespora torulosa. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

A 3 to 4 year study of single tooth hydroxylapatite coated endosseous dental implants.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness, common complications and maintenance associated with hydroxylapatite (HA) coated cylindrical implants when used to support single crowns. DESIGN: A prospective medium term clinical study of the Calcitek HA-coated implant. SETTING: Implant placement, crown fabrication and follow-up procedures were carried out at the Leeds Dental Institute, between 1990 and 1998. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 26 patients (33 implants) participated in the trial. They were referred from general dental practitioners because of their suitability for single tooth implant placement. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The implants were assessed using recognised clinical review procedures e.g. radiographs and soft tissue assessments. RESULTS: At exposure there was 100% implant integration. The cumulative survival rate over 4 years was 100%. In five implants there was cervical bone loss of more than 4 mm and these were classified as failing. This gave an overall cumulative success rate of 58% by year 4. CONCLUSION: The Calcitek HA-coated single tooth implant shows exceptionally high initial integration however, the longer term results suggest that the cervical bone level adjacent to the implant failed to establish a steady state. Doubts remain regarding the long-term prognosis of these cylindrical HA-coated implants.

A 3- to 6-year study of overdentures supported by hydroxyapatite-coated endosseous dental implants.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of hydroxyapatite-coated cylindrical implants to support overdentures. These implants were placed between 1990 and 1994 and have been followed up over a period of 3 to 6 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-nine Calcitek dental implants were placed in 43 patients to support 14 maxillary and 30 mandibular overdentures. Standardized clinical review procedures were used. RESULTS: At exposure all the implants were found to be osseointegrated. To date only 7 implants (5%) have completely failed and two associated overdentures (5%) have been lost. The cumulative survival rate of all implants over 6 years was 92%. However, if failure is defined by the loss of more than 4 mm of cervical bone, 33 implants could be classified as being in the process of failing. Using these figures, interval success rates as low as 82% were found by year 6, and the cumulative success rate would fall to 39%. Maxillary survival and success rates were significantly lower than mandibular rates, at 38% and 10%, respectively, by year 5. CONCLUSION: Failure rates were higher in the maxillary arch, in poor quality bone, in smokers, and where implants were opposed by a natural dentition or an implant-supported prosthesis. The results suggest that the cervical bone level adjacent to the Calcitek cylindrical hydroxyapatite-coated implant failed to establish a steady state, particularly in the maxillary arch. Doubts remain regarding the long-term prognosis of these cylindrical implants.