Determination of carbohydrate structures N-linked to soluble CD154 and characterization of the interactions of CD40 with CD154 expressed in Pichia pastoris and Chinese hamster ovary cells.

CD40-CD154 (CD40 ligand) interactions are essential for the development of protective immunity. Previous studies have described the CD40 binding site as a shallow groove formed between two monomers of CD154. However, these studies have not examined the structure or biological function of the carbohydrate on CD154. Human CD154 contains a single N-linked glycosylation site at asparagine 240. We have characterized the interactions between CD40 and soluble (s) CD154 in which sCD154 contains different types of carbohydrates. Detailed carbohydrate analysis revealed high-mannose structures on sCD154 purified from Pichia pastoris, whereas CD154 purified from Chinese hamster ovary E1A contained heterogeneous populations of complex carbohydrates. sCD154 purified from either system was trimeric, it bound to CD40 with similar affinities of 10-30 nM, and it functionally induced CD69 and CD95 expression on primary B cells. Together, these results indicate that the presence of varied types of N-linked glycans on asparagine 240 of CD154 does not play a significant role in the CD40-CD154 interactions.

The first discovery of a complete skeleton of a fossil orang-utan in a cave of the Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.

Here we provide a description of the first complete adult fossil orang-utan skeleton from the Asian mainland. This specimen, and remains of a juvenile orang, were collected in a late Pleistocene cavern in the Hoa Binh Province of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The results confirm the suggestions by Hooijer (1948) Zool. Meded. Leiden29, 175-301 and later by Schwartz et al. (1995) Anthrop. Pap. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.76, 1-24, that ancient orang-utans had bigger teeth than those of modern Pongo pygmaeus (P. p. pygmaeus and P. p. abelii), while the dental morphology is similar. Body proportions of the adult individual of Hoa Binh show a large skull with very large teeth but proportionally a small body. This individual is also singular in having high intermembral and brachial indices, in comparison with those of modern subspecies.

Principal components analysis of distal humeral shape in Pliocene to recent African hominids: the contribution of geometric morphometrics.

The shape of the distal humerus in Homo, Pan (P. paniscus and P. troglodytes), Gorilla, and six australopithecines is compared using a geometric approach (Procrustes superimposition of landmarks). Fourteen landmarks are defined on the humerus in a two-dimensional space. Principal components analysis (PCA) is performed on all superimposed coordinates. I have chosen to discuss the precise place of KNM-KP 271 variously assigned to Australopithecus anamensis, Homo sp., or Praeanthropus africanus, in comparison with a sample of australopithecines. AL 288-1, AL 137-48 (Hadar), STW 431 (Sterkfontein), and TM 1517 (Kromdraai) are commonly attributed to Australopithecus afarensis (the two former), Australopithecus africanus, and Paranthropus robustus, respectively, while the taxonomic place of KNM-ER 739 (Homo or Paranthropus?) is not yet clearly defined. The analysis does not emphasize a particular affinity between KNM-KP 271 and modern Homo, nor with A. afarensis, as previously demonstrated (Lague and Jungers [1996]

[Morphological functional analysis of the femora and tibiae of Quercy "Adapis": recognition of five morphological types]. / Analyse morphofonctionnelle des fémurs et des tibias des "Adapis" du Quercy: mise en évidence de cinq types morphologiques.

The study of 13 partial femora and 3 tibiae from late Eocene Quercy localities (France) confirms the distinction of the two adapinine genera Adapis and Palaeolemur. The femora come from both new (Rosières 2 and Escamps) and old collections (of uncertain provenance). They allow the distinction of 5 morphological groups, whose morphological characteristics are functionally explained. Adapis and Palaeolemur show strong similarities to some small living platyrrhines (Saimiri, Cebus, Aotus) and much less to lorisines. Type 1 and type 2 were probably branch walking and running forms, using climbing less frequently. Types 4 and 5 were probably less specialized for running and used climbing more frequently. These relatively close 4 types are interpreted as 4 species of Adapis. Type 3 is associated with the only species known from Escamps, Palaeolemur betillei. This last species appears to have been predominantly a climber, however, without the morphological specializations of the posterior limb associated with slow climbing in lorisines.

Sensitivity and positive predictive value of Medicare Part B physician claims for rheumatologic diagnoses and procedures.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the sensitivity and positive predictive value of Medicare physician claims for select rheumatic conditions managed in rheumatology specialty practices. METHODS: Eight rheumatologists in 3 states abstracted 378 patient office records to obtain information on diagnosis and office procedures. The Medicare Part B physician claims for these patient visits were obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration. The sensitivity of the claims data for a specific diagnosis was calculated as the proportion of all patients whose office records for a particular visit documented that diagnosis and who also had physician claims for that visit which identified that diagnosis. The positive predictive value was evaluated in a separate sample of 331 patient visits identified in Medicare physician claims. The positive predictive value of the claims data for a specific diagnosis was calculated as the proportion of patients with that diagnosis coded in the claims for a particular visit who also had the diagnosis documented in the medical record for that visit. RESULTS: Ninety percent of abstracted office medical records were matched successfully with Medicare physician claims. The sensitivity of the Medicare physician claims was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85-0.95) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 0.85 (95% CI 0.73-0.97) for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 0.85 (95% CI 0.78-1.0) for aspiration or injection procedures. The sensitivity for osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee was < or = 0.50 if 5-digit codes specifying anatomic site were required. The sensitivity for fibromyalgia (FM) was 0.48 (95% CI 0.28-0.68). The positive predictive values were at least 0.90 for RA, SLE, and aspiration or injection procedures. Positive predictive values for FM and the 5-digit site-specific codes for OA of the knee were 0.83 (95% CI 0.66-1.0) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.75-1.0), respectively, while the positive predictive value of the 5-digit site-specific codes for OA of the hip was zero (95% CI 0-0.26). The positive predictive value of OA at any site was 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.90). CONCLUSION: In specialty practice, Medicare physician claims had high sensitivity and positive predictive value for RA, SLE, OA without specification of anatomic site, and injection or aspiration procedures. The claims had lower sensitivity and predictive value for FM and for OA of the hip. The accuracy of Medicare physician claims for other conditions and in the primary care setting requires further investigation.

Microwatt shot-noise measurement.

We report a simple scheme for sensitive measurements of optical-noise spectra. Optical noise is separated from electronic noise when the output of an analog spectrum analyzer is real-time squared and then lock-in detected. This method directly yields the desired mean-square noise voltage, i.e., the power spectrum of the optical noise on a linear scale. To demonstrate this technique, the mean-square shot noise of a laser beam is measured and found to vary linearly with the laser power from several milliwatts down to one microwatt, in excellent quantitative agreement with predictions.

Photon-echo interferometry.

Temporal interference between photon echoes of adjacent transitions in simple atoms is demonstrated, yielding suppression of the echo intensity by a factor of 10(4). The method provides a sensitive probe of perturbations that differentially affect the phase of the dipole moments for the adjacent transitions.