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A data structure model for a health information system.

The Ministry of Health and Environmental Control of Berlin is developing a Health Information System (HIS) on the basis of a multi-satellite network system, comprising a central, regional, local and functional unit level. The main part of this paper describes the conceptual structure of the Common Data Base (CDB) of HIS with special regard to the patient-oriented medical information originating from the various institutions of the health care system. This structure comprises the following five levels: 1. PATIENT 2. PROBLEM 3. CASE 4. EVENT 5. ACT Each of the levels represents a node in the structure model. A node is an entity with a set of "local properties" being specified for each level, referring to selected data on inferior levels. The structures of these five levels are described in detail. In the last part, so-called "data-manipulation procedures" are treated. These are descriptions covering any data manipulation and represent the basis of data integrity through system controlled transaction with the data base.

Berlin

A structural model of cholinergic synaptic vesicles from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata deduced from density measurements at different osmotic pressures.

Density measurements made on cholinergic synaptic vesicles from the electric organs of Torpedo marmorata at different osmotic pressures are consistent with the following structural model of the vesicle. The particle behaves like a sphere 80-100 nm in diameter bounded by a semi-permeable membrane. The bulk of its soluble constituents are in true solution at physiological osmolalities. The limiting membrane is approximately 4-5 nm thick, suggesting that it contains large areas of phospholipid bilayer exposed to its bathing medium. The limiting membrane takes up about 26% (v/v) of the particle, a further 34% (v/v) of which is osmotically active water and 31% (v/v) hydrated core material at 800 mosmol/1. The buoyant density of the membrane is 1.132 g . cm-3. The density of the hydrated core material is approximately 1.05 g . cm-3. The membrane is selectively permeable to small molecules when subjected to hypo-osmotic stress. It is proposed that this occurs by the formation of small transient pores in the lipid bilayer of the membrane, which are induced by stretching caused by the osmotic pressure change.

Acetylcholine

Structured model for cell growth and enzyme production by recombinant Escherichia coli.

A structured cell model has been developed to describe the cultivation of recombinant Escherichia coli K12 with multicopy plasmid under the control of a lambda PR-promoter and a temperature-sensitive lambda cI 857 repressor. The model, based on measurements of a batch culture in a stirred tank reactor, allows statements to be made on the time variation of intracellular processes. Based on cell regulation, the substrate transfer into the cell was considered to be the rate-limiting step for substrate utilization. The model describes substrate utilization, cell growth, and product formation by means of a system of time-dependent, coupled, and partly non-linear differential equations. The solution of these equations allows calculation of the time variation of the concentrations of substrates (glucose and amino acids), dissolved oxygen and cells in the broth as a function of time and the process parameters.

Cell Division

Structural model of vestibular effects on the blood pressure.

The model described in the present work is a structural presentation of certain aspcets of the vesibular effects on the blood pressure. The model comprises the joint action of the otolith system and the semicircular canals, gangl. Scarpe, the vestibular nuclei, the vasomotor centre and the nuclei of n. vagus. The direct transfer of information both from gangl. Scarpe to the vasoregulating centre and from nucl. Schwalbe to the vagal nuclei, as well as its polysynaptic transmission, are considered. The model examines a case when only two factors, namely decrease in the heart rate controlled by n. vagus and decrease in the heart tone controlled by the vasoregulating centre, determine the effect of blood pressure drop after vestibular stimulation. The structure of the model is flexible and permits its elaboration by including additional factors for the blood pressure drop.

Blood Pressure

Structural modeling and functional characterization of a novel gain-of-function TLR8 variant causing severe inflammatory syndrome.

With the increasing use of genetic sequencing to investigate inborn errors of immunity, rare variants are frequently identified, yet their clinical relevance often remains uncertain. Establishing pathogenicity requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates genetic, structural, functional, and clinical data. Here, we used such a strategy to investigate a previously unreported hemizygous missense variant - alanine (A) to threonine (T) at residue 518 - in Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8), identified in 2 male siblings with recurrent infections and systemic inflammation, characterized by a proinflammatory immune signature and B cell dysregulation. Functional studies showed that the TLR8 A518T variant enhanced NF-κB activation and increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines compared with WT TLR8 upon stimulation, consistent with a gain-of-function effect. Protein degradation and turnover assays revealed reduced abundance of the mutant TLR8 protein due to faster turnover and increased proteasomal degradation. Computational modeling predicted enhanced structural stabilization of the active TLR8 homodimer interface via additional water-mediated hydrogen bonds introduced by the A518T substitution. Together, these findings integrating structural modeling with functional assays identify a novel TLR8 ligand-specific gain-of-function mutation resulting in complex immunopathology in 2 siblings.

Humans

[Small-angle X-ray-scattering investigation and structural-model study of the fatty-acid synthetase from pig liver (author's transl)].

The structure of the fatty acid synthetase from pig liver was studied on models based upon structural and functional properties selected from pertinent results available from numerous investigations carried out with fatty acid synthetases from this and other sources. When comparing small-angle X-ray-scattering curves calculated with these models and curves obtained from small-angle X-ray-scattering experiments carried out with the pig-liver enzyme, we tried to select a model which would lead to an acceptable correlation between the calculated and the experimental curves and at the same time fulfil the known structural and functional requirements. The comparison of the curves was started with a model of low complexity. The observed discrepancy, together with arguments from the structural and the functional properties, helped decide which is the next most reasonable model to be considered. This procedure was repeated for five models of increasing complexity. In the model which led to the best fit the multienzyme complex is composed of two halves in an assymetric conformation including hollow spaces. This highly anisotropic model would imply that the two halves change their conformation each time a synthetic cycle is completed and that the growing fatty acid is handed over from one half to the other.

Animals

Structural modeling of the human erythrocyte bisphosphoglycerate mutase.

Using the crystallographic structure of yeast monophosphoglycerate mutase (MPGM) as a framework we constructed a three-dimensional model of the homologous human erythrocyte bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM). The modeling procedure consisted of substituting 117 amino acid residues and positioning 19 C-terminal residues (unresolved in the X-ray structure) by empirical methods, followed by energy minimization. Among several differences in the active site region the most significant appears to be the replacement of Ser11 in MPGM by Gly in BPGM. The C-terminal segment, which contains mainly basic amino acids, lines the cavity of the active site. The seven amino acid residues, which have been shown to be essential for the three catalytic functions of the human BPGM, interact with the amino acids in the protein core, near the active site. In addition, a cluster of several positively charged residues, particularly arginines, has been identified at the entrance of the active site; this cluster may serve as a secondary binding site for polyanionic substrates or cofactors, as required by a two-binding-site model of the catalytic activities. This model is in agreement with recent studies of an inactive BPGM variant substituent at an Arg position situated in this positively charged cluster. The position of Cys20 in the model constructed suggests that this residue is responsible for inactivation of the enzyme by sulfhydryl reagents. Subunit interfaces have also been constructed for BPGM by analogy with MPGM and suggest that, in addition to the known dimerization of BPGM, tetramerization may occur under certain conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence

A structural model for the kinetic behavior of hemoglobin.

The tertiary structures of all liganded hemoglobins in the R state differ in detail. Steric hindrance arising from nonbonded ligand-globin interactions affects the binding of ligands such as CO and cyanide which preferentially form linear axial complexes to heme; these ligands bind in a strained off-axis configuration. Ligands such as O2 and NO, which preferentially form bent complexes, encounter less steric hindrance and can bind in their (preferred) unstrained configuration. Linear complexes distort the ligand pockets in the R state (and by inference, in the T state) more than bent complexes. These structural differences between linear and bent complexes are reflected in the kinetic behavior of hemoglobin. Structural interpretation of this kinetic behavior indicates that the relative contributions of nonbonded ligand-globin interactions and nonbonded heme interactions to transition state free energies differ for linear and bent ligands. The relative contributions of these interactions to the free energy of cooperativity may also differ for linear and bent ligands. Thus the detailed molecular mechanism by which the affinity of heme is regulated differs for different ligands.

Allosteric Regulation

Spectroscopic studies and a structural model for blue copper centers in proteins.

Low temperature absorption, circular dichroism, and magnetic circular dichroism spectral studies of the blue copper proteins Rhus vernicifera stellacyanin, bean plastocyanin, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin have been made. Low energy bands attributable to the d-d transitions 2B2 leads to 2E and 2B2 leads to 2B1 in a flattened tetrahedral (D 2d) copper-(II) center are observed in these proteins at about 5000 and 10,000 cm-1, respectively. The band positions accord well with ligand field calculations based on a tetrahedral structure that is distorted approximately 6 degrees toward a square plane. The ligands in this flattened tetrahedral coordination unit in bean plastocyanin are identified from various spectroscopic experiments as His-38, Cys-85, His-88, and a deprotonated peptide nitrogen (N) a few residues above His-38.

Azurin

Activity, disulphide mapping and structural modelling of the fifth domain of human beta 2-glycoprotein I.

Complexes formed by the interaction of negatively charged phospholipids and beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2-I) are the target of autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. The highly positively charged fifth (C-terminal) domain of human beta 2-I was produced as a fusion protein in an Escherichia coli expression system and was shown to bind to the negatively charged phospholipid, cardiolipin, almost as well as the intact protein. In an attempt to define the 3D structure of this domain, the disulphide linkage pattern was determined and shown to be Cys 1-4, Cys 2-5 and Cys 3-6 in contradiction to an earlier report. In the light of this information, the sequence of the fifth domain of beta 2 I (beta 2-I-5) is readily aligned with that of the 16th repeat of factor H, of which the 3D structure is known, and a model of beta 2I-5 has been built by homology. On the basis of the model we suggest residues that might be the target of profitable site-directed mutagenesis in structure-function studies.

Amino Acid Sequence

A structural model for human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase.

The hypothesis that dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (E3s) have tertiary structures very similar to that of human glutathione reductase (GR) was tested in detail by three separate criteria: (1) by analyzing each putative secondary structural element for conservation of appropriate polar/nonpolar regions, (2) by detailed comparison of putative active site residues in E3s with their authentic counterparts in human GR, and (3) by comparison of residues at the putative dimeric interface of the E3s with the authentic residues in GR. All three criteria are satisfied in a convincing way for the 7 E3s that were considered, supporting the conclusion that the structural scaffolding and the overall tertiary structure (which determines the location of functional sites and residues) are remarkably similar for the E3s and for GR. These analyses together with the crystal structures of human erythrocyte GR formed the basis for construction of a molecular model for human E3. The cofactor FAD and the substrates NAD and lipoic acid were also included in the model. Unexpectedly, the surface residues in the cleft that holds the lipoamide were found to be highly charged and predominantly acidic, allowing us to predict that the region around the lipoamide in the subunit should be basic in nature. The molecular model can be tested by site-directed mutagenesis of residues predicted to be in the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase subunit binding cleft.

Amino Acid Sequence

A structural model for the cholesterol-phosphatidylcholine complexes in bilayer membranes.

Based on the structural properties of phospholipid and cholesterol molecules, and making use of the known structural and motional effects of cholesterol and its analogs on phospholipid bilayers, a model for the cholesterol-phosphatidylcholine complex is proposed. In this model, the 3beta-hydroxyl group of cholesterol is assumed to engage in hydrogen bonding with the carbonyl oxygen of the fatty acyl groups in phospholipids. Some specific configurations of the saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl chains of the phospholipid are suggested to participate in van der Waals attractive interactions with the apha and beta surface of the steroid nucleus.

Binding Sites

Structural modelling of P-type ion pumps.

Over forty sequences of P-type ion pumps have been determined. They fall into five families showing between 20% and 50% identity in sequence. The conserved residues are concentrated in several regions which are found in all the pumps. All the defined functional sites are associated with conserved segments and provide a basis for subdivision into domains, to which tentative secondary and tertiary structures can be assigned. The domains have been assembled into a structure consisting of a conserved core with variable loops and deletions on the surface, which accommodates site mutants, affinity labels and known epitopes. This model has been correlated with the results of an electron crystallographic study of the Ca++ pump. Two types of crystal have been examined in negative stain and in amorphous ice; thin plates which diffract to 4A and long helical tubes which diffract to 15A. The plates have given a 6A projection map, some of which can be interpreted by difference from the map of the negatively stained crystal, as transmembrane helices. Three dimensional interpretation will require a tilt series. In the meantime, analysis of the tubes has given a 14A 3D map which clearly defines the cytoplasmic domains and their relation to the transmembrane region (Stokes and Toyoshima in preparation). Although it is not yet possible to assign specific functions to the cytoplasmic lobes, the structure at this resolution is consistent with the model.

Animals

A hierarchically-structured model of information processing in neural networks.

In order to describe the information processing mechanisms of a neural system a basic building block (sub-network), consisting of a group of interacting neural elements, is introduced. By interconnecting such units to give an integrated structure, a hierarchically-organised processing chain is formed. The properties of such a system are shown to provide a logical description of information processing which links high level events with underlying neural mechanisms.

Brain

Structural modelling and preventive strategy targeting of WSSV hub proteins to combat viral infection in shrimp Penaeus monodon.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) presents a considerable peril to the aquaculture sector, leading to notable financial consequences on a global scale. Previous studies have identified hub proteins, including WSSV051 and WSSV517, as essential binding elements in the protein interaction network of WSSV. This work further investigates the functional structures and potential applications of WSSV hub complexes in managing WSSV infection. Using computational methodologies, we have successfully generated comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) representations of hub proteins along with their three mutual binding counterparts, elucidating crucial interaction locations. The results of our study indicate that the WSSV051 hub protein demonstrates higher binding energy than WSSV517. Moreover, a unique motif, denoted as "S-S-x(5)-S-x(2)-P," was discovered among the binding proteins. This pattern perhaps contributes to the detection of partners by the hub proteins of WSSV. An antiviral strategy targeting WSSV hub proteins was demonstrated through the oral administration of dual hub double-stranded RNAs to the black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, followed by a challenge assay. The findings demonstrate a decrease in shrimp mortality and a cessation of WSSV multiplication. In conclusion, our research unveils the structural features and dynamic interactions of hub complexes, shedding light on their significance in the WSSV protein network. This highlights the potential of hub protein-based interventions to mitigate the impact of WSSV infection in aquaculture.

Animals

Forecasting health: data needs and implications for model structure.

An agenda for analysing data on the health and functioning of the elderly must indicate new types of data to be collected, innovations in data collection strategies and new methods for analysis and forecasting. The required research agenda is broad and will require inputs from investigators in a number of disciplines. The data and methods required will need to be developed in order to reflect national, regional and local variations in the health phenomena under study; they will also have to be responsive to these variations. In the end, however, if the investment is to be most useful, it must be integrated into simulation and forecasting models, the mechanics of which are based on individual-level processes and not on the elements of the service system.

Breast Neoplasms