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Objective The aim of this study was to clarify the sonographic features of the masseter muscle as indices for judging the efficacy of massage treatment. Study design Fifteen patients with temporomandibular disorder (10 with unilateral and 5 with bilateral muscle pain) underwent massage treatment alternately on the bilateral masseter and temporal muscles with an oral rehabilitation robot. Sonography was performed before and after treatment, and the masseter thickness and existence of anechoic areas were evaluated. Results The thickness on the symptomatic side in the unilateral group significantly decreased after treatment. Anechoic areas were shown in 20 muscles (66.7%) before treatment, and disappeared or were reduced in size in 17 muscles (85.0%) after treatment. The pretreatment thickness was significantly related to visual analog scale (VAS) scores regarding posttreatment muscle pain and massage impression. The existence of anechoic areas was relevant to VAS scores regarding muscle pain. Conclusion Masseter thickness and existence of anechoic areas might be related to the therapeutic efficacy regarding muscle pain.

Since Counseling and Psychotherapy (Rogers, 1942) was introduced in Japan in 1948, because of the specific atmosphere and nature of Japanese culture at the time, the approach was named and symbolized as nondirective counseling until the end of the 1970s. The term client-centered, with its real meaning, became more popular after the late 1980s because academic studies about client-centered theory had progressed. The idea of person-centered therapy was introduced in 1980 in Japan, but not much progress was recorded under that label until Dave Mearns' lecture tour in Japan in 2006. Since that time the idea of person-centered working has gradually spread in Japan but progress has been slow because of the old image of client-centered and the way that clinical psychology has moved in Japan.

We synthesized nano-sized Eu-doped Y2O3 (Y2O3:Eu) phosphor powder by an ion-exchange po-lymer/water/oil (W/O) emulsion method using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the ion-exchange polymer, in which the CMC-(Y, Eu) gel formed was calcined at 800°C in air to convert into Y2O3:Eu particles. The obtained phosphor powder consists of unagglomerated particles with sizes in the range of 30-80 nm and exhibits strong red emission at 612 nm. This CMC/W/O method for producing nano-sized oxide powder has significant advantages over conventional solid-phase and chemical solution-based methods because this method can provide unagglomerated nanoparticles of oxide phosphor without employing any mechanical pulverizing process for reducing the particles’ size into the nanometer range; mechanical grinding, such as ball milling, of phosphor powders has been well known to cause a significant degradation of their luminescent properties.

In previous article [1–3], we pointed out by using the CPK molecular model that the complex of the three anticodon bases and the discriminator base (C4N) on tRNA can discriminate the cognate amino acid by the lock and key relationship. Analysis of the amino acid sequences of the aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetases reveals an electric machine mechanism for the conformational change of tRNA from an L letter shape to a U letter shape, resulting in the formation of C4N in the active α/β structure of the synthetase. From this point of view, a possible ancient protein synthesis system has been speculated.

A quantitative spectral analysis of the ultraviolet (UV) broad excitation bands, which are located in the range 300–400 nm, for red emissions at around 610 nm in Pr-doped CaTiO3, SrTiO3:Al and BaTiO3:Mg phosphors has been carried out using a peak fitting technique. The obtained results demonstrate that the UV broad band of CaTiO3:Pr consists of four primary excitation bands centered around 330, 335, 365 and 380 nm and those of both SrTiO3:Al and BaTiO3:Mg consist of three primary bands centered around 310, 345 and 370 nm. Based on the behavior patterns and the values of the respective primary excitation bands’ parameters, i.e. center gravity (λtop), maximum height (Imax) and full-width at half-maximum (FWHM), the UV-to-red relaxation processes in these titanate phosphors can be explained to be essentially the same, except for the existence of an additional relaxation pathway via electron-trap states in CaTiO3:Pr, which gives a characteristic shape of its UV excitation spectrum in the wavelength range of >360 nm.

Nanosized Y2O3:Eu3+ crystalline powders with average particle sizes around 100 nm, measured by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), have been synthesized by a polymerized precursor method using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The nanocrystalline phosphors exhibit intense photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) around 612 nm, being attributed to the 5D0-7F2 transition of Eu3+. Electroluminescence (EL) properties of the nanophosphors in the form of thick films were investigated, and emission of red light with maximum intensity at 612 nm (corresponding to x = 0.57 and y = 0.32 in the CIE chromaticity diagram) was observed under high ac field at 1 kHz. The obtained results suggest a possibility that Y2O3:Eu3+ nanopowders can be used as a red-emitting phosphor for EL devices.

Chromosome 15 aberrations clinically present as facial dysmorphisms such as a prominent nose, low-set ears, micrognathia and a short neck; a cleft lip and palate have not been reported. This is the first reported case of de-novo terminal deletion at 15q24 with a cleft lip and palate and low-set ears. The baby boy had a complete cleft lip and palate on the left side and incomplete cleft lip and palate on the right. A chromosomal study revealed partial monosomy and trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 15, with a karyotype of 46,XY,add(15)(24q) de novo. Surgery for lip plasty was performed at 6 months old and for palate plasty at 1 year and 9 months. Both operations were uneventful, although preoperative and postoperative examinations showed high creatinine phosphokinase values. At 3 years old, mild mental retardation was observed, but his physical development was normal.

Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is a rare congenital anomaly that combines severe micrognathia, characteristic rib gap defects, and mental retardation.The neonatal mortality rate for this syndrome is 30% and that before 1 year of age is 60%. Although several hereditary cases have been reported, the true etiology is unknown. We describe a patient with CCMS in whom palatoplasty was performed at 3 years 8 months. We followed up the patient until 6 years of age.Respiratory care was carried out just after birth until 3 months. Because a bone defect of the hard palate and a submucous cleft palate were found, the patient was referred to our hospital at the age of 3 years 5 months.After assessment of her general condition by a pediatrician, palatoplasty was performed. We were concerned about the risk of respiratory disorder caused by airway obstruction, but the postoperative course was uneventful. Speech management with a speech appliance was performed to improve postoperative velopharyngeal insufficiency.Such cases with mild airway obstruction can be misdiagnosed as Pierre Robin Sequence when rib disorders are not found. It was suggested that rib disorders should be examined by X-ray films in such children with severe micrognathia.

We report a surgical technique for habitual temporomandibular joint dislocation.Cortical bone was shaved at the anterior slope of the tubercle, and a piece of an autogenous bone block wasgrafted to augment the tubercle. The grafted bone was fixed with a titanium plate and screws. This method preservedthe original posterior slope of the tubercle, permitting smooth condylar movement.We used this technique in two patients and followed them for 15 and 5 years, respectively. Postoperative examinationsshowed no resorption of the grafted bone and no recurrence of dislocation in either patient.

The present study was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the acute physiology, age, chronic health evaluation (APACHE) III score in burn patients. We hypothesised that APACHE III score efficiently predicts mortality of burn patients as it reflects the physiological changes in the acute phase and the severity of the underlying illness. Data such as age, gender, inhalation injury, total burn surface area (TBSA), burn index (BI), prognostic burn index (PBI), APACHE III score and outcome of 105 hospitalised patients were analysed retrospectively. TBSA, BI, PBI, and APACHE III score in the mortality group were significantly higher than those of surviving group. The mean scores of surviving versus mortality groups were as follows: TBSA, 19.2+/-17.8% versus 69.1+/-28.4%, p

We report a case of ankylosis in childhood treated by TMJ mobilization with preservation of the condyle and disc. The patient was a 9-year-old boy with a history of a right condylar fracture at the age of 7 years. As the maximal mouth opening had markedly decreased, TMJ mobilization was performed at the age of 13 years. We resected the bony adhesion, retaining the fractured condyle and disc in their displaced position.Five years after surgery, the patient had a maximal mouth opening of 45mm, as well as better contralateral and protrusive movements without any recurrence. Mandibular deviation has gradually improved.

Recently, robot research that coexists with people and is helpful for them has been done. To coexist with people, it is necessary for robots to realize the same flexible motion as people. To grasp, a robot hand is required to control position accurately and treat the object flexibly. Additionally, when taking care of the elderly and patients, who are a typical example of personal service, safety and pliability are required because of much contact with people. Therefore, it is important to choose the proper materials, mechanics, drive systems, and control systems. Then, we propose pneumatic actuators as source of power of robot hand. But, to generate power, a past actuator needs a high compressed air. Then, in this research, a pneumatic actuator driven by low-pressure and low-volume is presented that is originally developed for driving a robot hand that works flexibly and is safer on the assumption of people contact. And this actuator is designed to get enough force to drive the hand in low-pressure. Because of the linear characteristics, this actuator can be easily controlled. And, the force control system that uses this actuator is constructed and the control performance to apply to the robot hand is examined. At the same time, five fingered robot hand using the pneumatic actuators is shown, and we show that the robot hand can do the same operation as man.

to carry out PFfor the other group (lower layer) whose state space is reduced from the whole state space･ In this paper, we propose a novel proposal distribution in the lower layer) which is a mixture of approximate prediction densities computed in the higher and lower layers･ An adaptive determination of the mixture ratio, which implements a mutual interaction between the layers as a mixture state transition model in PF, is realized by means of on-1ine EMalgorithmfor adapting to complicated real environments･ The efFectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by computer simulations of head pose estimation of a car driver.

Using spectrophotometry, it was found that histidine enhances weakly but specifically various metabolic reaction rates such as pyruvate carboxylase, oxalacetate decarboxylase and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (indicating that only one of the twenty amino acids is catalytic). Oligo-ribonucleotides having flexible dihedral angles could also be expected to be rate enhancers in these metabolic reactions. The survey by spectrophotometry showed that GpUpG, an anticodon of histidine, is also a similar rate enhancer. The formation of the reaction products in the cases of pyruvate carboxylase and oxalacetate decarboxylase was furthermore confirmed by thin-layer chromatography using 14 C-labeled pyruvate and by high-performance liquid chromatography. The origin of the genetic code may thus be based on direct molecular relationships between amino acids and anticodons.

BACKGROUND: Squamous metaplasic cells are rarely seen in sputum of female nonsmokers. CASE: A 47-year-old female nonsmoker presented with massive amounts of squamous metaplasic cells in sputum and an elevated level of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen in serum present for months, while no causative lesion was detected either by lung computed tomography or bronchoscopy. The patient was eventually diagnosed as having inverted papilloma in the right nasal cavity. Resection of the tumor brought about disappearance of squamous metaplastic cells in sputum and return of serum SCC antigen to the normal range. CONCLUSION: This case clearly demonstrates that Squamous metaplastic cells in sputum can originate in lesions in the nasal cavity, although they are rare. It should be kept in mind that the nasal cavity is a potential site producing squamous metaplastic cells in sputum.

書誌情報のみ, Bibliographic data Only

低体重の末期腎不全児に対する血液透析を困難にしている最大の原因は, ブラッドアクセスの問題である. 我々は, ブラッドアクセスとして, ダクロンカフ付シリコン性カテーテルであるHickman catheter® (Bard, Utah, USA) を使用し, 以下の知見を得た.対象は, カテーテル挿入時年齢15か月から84か月, 体重7.8kgから13.8kgの小児. 血液透析の適応理由は, 腹膜炎の反復, 生体肝移植後, 膀胱拡大術後, 嚢胞腎による低腹腔容積であった. カテーテル留置に伴う合併症としては, 70か月間血液透析を継続した例の敗血症一度のみであった. また, 生体肝移植後の女児は5時間の血液濾過透析, 他の3例は通常の4時間透析を行い, 透析効率はKt/Vで1.06から1.41であった. 管腔内の血栓形成の予防は, 毎日のheparin sodium注入と一例にのみaspirin少量投与により可能であった.今後, 腎不全小児の病態の多様化により腹膜透析の困難な症例が増加してくると思われるが, Hickman catheter®を使用することにより血液透析も容易に施行できるものと思われる.

Fujio Tbmoda played a major role in introducing client-centered therapy (CCT) into Japan. This article discusses the reception, transformation, and cultural implications of CCT, focusing on the work of Tomoda, which was deeply influenced by Chinese and Japanese classics. Section 1 introduces Tbmoda and his activities. Section 2 (Hayashi) features how Tomoda has come to equate the nondirective aspect of CCT with the not-doing-and-being-natural paradigm of Taoism. Section 3 (Suetake) analyzes Tbmoda's self-theory based on ancient Chinese philosophy. Section 4 (Morotomi) calls attention to the word "vacuum," uttered by Rogers' client. Section 5 (Osawa) compares Tomoda's theory on personality change with the Focusing approach by Gendlin. Section 6 (Shimizu) features Ibmoda's application of the CCT approach to his group programs. Section 7 (Kuno) highlights Tbmoda's finding in renku (Japanese linked poetry) a means of facilitating human development. Section 8 critically examines Tbmoda's work. I believe it expresses well the observations which for me have crystallized into two important themes: my confidence in the human organism, when it is functioning freely; and the existential quality of satisfying living, a theme presented by some of our most modem philosophers, which was however beautifully expressed more than twentyfive centuries ago by Lao-tzu when, he said, 'The way to do is to be." (Rogers, 1961, p. 163).

Bacillus cereusのファージ型別セットを作製した.36株のパイロット株12, 14 を指示菌として, 土壌85検体から96のファージを分離した.保存安定性とパイロット株に対する溶菌パターンから選んだ11のファージは抗血清中和反応により5群に分けられた.そこで, 各群から5ファージ (φa, φb, φc, φd, φeと命名) を選び, 型別セットとした.このセットを用いて, ファージ濃度1×RTD (routine test dilution) および100×RTDでは, 36種のH抗原パイロット株は17の型 (83.3%型別) および11の型 (100%型別) に, 魚粕由来25株は9の型 (48.0%型別) および9の型 (100%型別) に, 土壌由来株100株は24の型 (79.0%型別) および14の型 (100%型別) に, それぞれ型別された.

About 600 residents and rescue staff were exposed to what was found to be sarin vapor in the city of Matsumoto on June 27, 1994. Fifty-six patients were admitted to hospitals for symptoms of some kind of gas poisoning. We examined the clinical and laboratory findings of 264 patients who were treated at six hospitals. The presence of extremely low cholinesterase values in blood plasma suggested at first that the toxication was caused by an organic phosphorus chemical. But there were many aspects that could not be explained by hitherto-known organic phosphorus toxication. We exchanged information to establish the nature of the substance responsible and to facilitate treatment. The Nagano Prefecture Public Health and Pollution Research Institute reported on July 3 that they found “sarin” and its degraded substances from the air and water at the presumed site of emission of the toxic substance. This paper is based on the report which we submitted to the “Hospital Liaison and Review Committee on the Matsumoto Toxic Gas Poisoning”.Almost all patients admitted to hospitals had severe miosis and tachycardia followed by bradycardia. Recovery to normal red blood cell cholinesterase activity was gradual reaching normal levels during the 3 month period after exposure to the toxic substance. Visual acuity and visual area improved after several weeks. The relationship between subjective symptoms and blood plasma cholinesterase values was examined. Those with such subjective symptoms as headache, fatigue, feverish feeling, visual field abnormalities, poor vision and abnormal subjective sensations had significantly low blood plasma cholinesterase values in the acute phase. Pseudocholinesterase values (ChE%), expressed as a percentage taking the normal minimum value to be 100%, were decreased in 53 of 222 patients (23.9%) examined within 5 days of exposure. A correlation was found between the degree of decline of ChE% and pupil diameter (P

At the end of the planetesimal infall on the surface of the primitive earth, hot dry beaches might have been useful for the formation of various activated monomers and oligomers (peptides and small RNAs). We discuss the possibility that a small system composed of small RNAs (∼ 10 mers) and dipeptides might have mimicked the contemporary biosystem, based on experimental results suggesting the presence of previously overlooked weak but specific interactions between three bases and one amino acid (of genetic code type) and also those between a dipeptide and a biosubstrate (of ligase, transferase, hydrolase, lyase, isomerase and dehydrogenase type). The Kms obtained for these dipeptide enzymes were of the order of 1M, in accord with the association constant for the binding of guanosine to cytocine in water. In this oligomer world, the genotype and phenotype evolution was closely coupled, resulting in a very rapid rate of evolution.

Objective. To identify and characterize a novel autoantibody, anti-WS, that binds total transfer RNA (tRNA). Methods. Serum from patient WS, who had polyarthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, Raynaud's phenomenon, and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, was used in this study. Characteristics of anti-WS and antibody-reactive determinants of tRNA were investigated by 32P immuno-precipitation using HeLa cell RNA and deletion mutants of tRNA transcribed in vitro. Results. WS serum produced nucleolar and cytoplasmic staining on indirect immunofluorescence. 32P immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that this serum immunoprecipitated total tRNAs and 5.8S and 5S ribosomal RNAs from 32P-labeled HeLa cell extract. When deproteinized RNA was used as antigen source, total tRNAs were still precipitated by WS serum. An immunoprecipitation study, using various deletion mutants of Escherichia coli tRNA, demonstrated that both D and T Ψ C loops were needed for antibody binding. Substitution of nucleotide 18G with 18A of E coli tRNA, which is essential in the formation of the tertiary “L” shape of tRNA, inhibited binding by anti-WS antibodies. Conclusion. Anti-WS antibodies are novel auto-antibodies directed against tRNAs. The antibody binding site is the common L-shaped tertiary structure conformed by the D loop and T Ψ C loop of tRNA, suggesting that the antibodies are induced by a conserved sequence among all species. Furthermore, these antibodies could be a marker for a newly recognized subset of connective tissue disease.

We report a case of leiomyosarcoma of the ileum presenting with ruptured liver abscesses. A 76-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of fever, abdominal pain, tenderness and muscular defense. Ultrasonography and CT scan of the upper abdomen showed ascites and low density lesions in dthe liver. Emergency laparotomy showed panperitonitis due to ruptured liver abscesses. A Streptococcus intermedius and Candida albicans were cultured from the purulent fluid collection. At the operation, abdominal cavity inspection revealed an 11 cm solid tumor arising from the pelvis, identified as leiomyosarcoma with central necrosis draining to the ileal lumen. Segmental resection of the ileum was performed 39 days after the first operation when her general condition was restored. The liver abscesses were considered originating from infection of the tumor with central necrotic cavity, disseminating to the liver through the portal blood.

Research and development in the robotics of rehab and power assistance have recently focused on pneumatically driven robots. This is because of their low cost, light weight, and a simple design. We are able to build safe and flexible drives. We took particular note of a Mckibben pneumatic actuator as a drive mechanism for pneumatically driven robots. We developed a low-pressure, low-volume pneumatic actuator in previous studies. However, the generative force of these actuators is small, when you use a equipment like that used for rehab assistance. We originally developed membrane pneumatic actuators to solve this problem. A five-fingered robot hand was developed, that imitated a human's right hand with membrane pneumatic actuators. First, we present the characteristics of a pneumatic actuator from our experiment. Then, we constructed a model using results from another experiment in a one-link arm with membrane pneumatic actuators. Next, a PI-D control system was constructed, and its gains were determined by simulation. Then, we tried to control the pressing force of a one-link arm with the controllers we constructed. As a result, we could control the pressing force with the constructed PI-D controllers.

Introduction of new local and semi-local features has played an important role in advancing the performance of object recognitions. Deformable part models prepare elegant framework for representing object categories and both efficient and accurate, achieving state-of the-art results. In this paper, We consider the problem of training a part-based model with variable size from images labeled only with bounding boxes around the objects. We consider part size as a latent variable and try to optimize simultaneously size and place of part templates to cover high-energy regions of the object. Extensive experiments in urban scenarios for vehicle detection show that the average precision of deformable part model significantly is improved from 72.10% to 82.41% without losing the average recall.

The application of selective ozonolysis together with high-resolution g.p.c. was performed to determine the crystalline stem lengths, in monomer units, of chain-folded lamellar crystals for trans and cis polyisoprene and polybutadiene. The trans polymer crystals were crystallized at −20°C in hexane directly from the dissolution temperature of 60°C, while the cis polymer crystals were crystallized by the same method at −70°C. The stem lengths of the trans - and cis -1,4-polyisoprene crystals were found to be 11 and 10 monomer units, respectively. Those for trans - and cis -1,4-polybutadiene crystals were found to be 12 and 13 monomer units, respectively.

Crystallization of synthetic trans -1,4-polyisoprene (TPI) at −20°C in hexane and amylacetate solutions gave chain-folded α-type crystals with 53% and 57% crystallinity, respectively. Selective ozonolysis degradation of the isoprene units in the surface folds associated with high-resolution g.p.c. measurement was used to determine the crystalline stem length, stem length distribution and fold surface structure of the α-TPI crystals. As ozone uptake increased, the isoprene units of the main fraction of oligomer products were found to decrease from 13, reaching a constant value at 11 for hexane and 12 for amylacetate. The polydispersity of the oligomer fractions was found to be in the range of 1.01–1.02. These findings suggested that the chain fold structure might be tight folding with slightly irregular folds, with a stem length of 11 monomers and a dispersion of 2.3 for lamellae grown from hexane, and 12 monomers with dispersion of 2.3 for those grown from amylacetate.

E. coli seryl-tRNA synthetase (SerRS) is a dimeric enzyme, having a subunit composed of two domains, i.e., a globular domain that includes a putative active site, and a long antiparallel α-helical coiled coil domain. The recognition sites on tRNA Ser by SerRS were searched using the T7 transcription system, and a new model of the recognition mechanism was proposed, consisting of a long coil shaped domain on one subunit which interacts with the long extra arm of tRNA Ser , and a globular domain of the other subunit which interacts with the 3' end of tRNA Ser

Various tRNA transcripts were constructed to study the identity elements of Escherichia coli tRNA(Asp). Base substitutions from G34 to U34 at the first position of the anticodon, and from U35 to A35 at the second, severely impaired the aspartate charging activity. The activity was also decreased, but in a more moderate fashion, by base changes at G2-C71, C36 and C38. Identity nucleotides of tRNA(Asp) are distributed in a different fashion between E. coli and yeast, which occur at the second base pair of the acceptor stem, G10-U25 base pair in the D-stem and 3' half of the anticodon loop.

To investigate the identity determinants of E. coli threonine tRNA, various transcripts were prepared by in vitro transcription system with T7 RNA polymerase. Substitutions of the anticodon second letter G35 and the third letter U36 to other nucleotides led to a remarkable decrease of threonine charging activity. Charging experiments with a series of anticodon-deletion transcripts also suggest the importance of the G35U36 sequence. A mutation at either the G1-C72 or C2-G71 base pair in the acceptor stem seriously affected the threonine charging activity. These results indicate that the second and third positions of the anticodon and the first and second base pairs in the acceptor stem are the recognition sites of E. coli tRNA(THR) for threonyl-tRNA synthetase. Discriminator base, A73, is not involved in threonine charging activity.

An extracellular phytase from Bacillus subtilis (natto) N-77 was purified 322-fold to homogeneity with the specific activity of 8.7 units per mg protein by ultrafiltration, and a combination of Sephadex G-100 and DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column chromatographies. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 36 kDa on gel filtration and 38 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the native enzyme is a monomeric protein. The enzyme had the isoelectric point of pH 6.25, and Ca2+ requirement for the production and activity, the Km value of 0.5 mM, and the activation energy of 9.87 kcal/mol for sodium phytate. The enzyme proved to be fairly specific for phytate and was most active at pH 6.0–6.5 and 60°C. Its activity was greatly inhibited by reagents and metal ions such as EDTA, Zn2+, Cd2+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, and Al3+.

Various tRNA transcripts were constructed to study the identity elements of E.coli tRNA(Arg) and tRNA(Lys). Exchange of the anticodon of the major tRNA(Arg) from ACG to either CCG or CCU did not result in a significant loss of arginine acceptor activity, whereas not only that to UUU but also that to ACA or ACC decreased the activity. Base substitutions and deletion at A20 also impaired the arginine charging activity by over 50-fold. Arginine charging activity was introduced by either substitution of the anticodon from UAC to ACG in tRNA(Val) or from UUU to UCU in tRNA(Lys). Only a single base substitution at the third position of tRNA(Trp) anticodon (CCA) from A to G also gave rise to arginine charging activity, which was elevated to a comparable level to that of the tRNA(Arg) transcript by an additional A20 insertion. Base substitutions of the major tRNA(Arg) at the discriminator position into pyrimidines led to a decrease by factors of three to four. These data show that the third letter of the anticodon G36 or U36 besides the second letter C35 and the A20 in the variable pocket is responsible for the arginine acceptor identity, to which the discriminator base A73 or G73 contributes in an auxiliary fashion. In contrast to the arginine system, the transcript with the wild-type tRNA(Lys) sequence showed only 140-fold lower lysine charging activity than the native tRNA(Lys), suggesting the involvement of base modifications in recognition. Replacement of the anticodon UUU with not only UCU and UAC but also UUA and UUC seriously affected the lysine acceptor activity, and those with GUU and UUG also decreased by factors of 17 and 5, respectively. Introduction of UUU into the anticodons conferred lysine charging activity upon both tRNA(Val) and tRNA(Arg). Substitution of the discriminator base A73 by any of the other bases decreased the lysine acceptor activity by a factor of ten. These results indicate the involvements of all the three bases of the anticodon and A at the discriminator position in lysine specific aminoacylation.