Beltway: Getting Around Garbage Collection Gridlock

We present the design and implementation of a new garbage collection framework that significantly generalizes existing copying collectors. The Beltway framework exploits and separates object age and incrementality. It groups objects in one or more increments on queues called belts, collects belts independently, and collects increments on a belt in first-in-first-out order. We show that Beltway configurations, selected by command line options, act and perform the same as semi-space, generational, and older-first collectors, and encompass all previous copying collectors of which we are aware. The increasing reliance on garbage collected languages such as Java requires that the collector perform well. We show that the generality of Beltway enables us to design and implement new collectors that are robust to variations in heap size and improve total execution time over the best generational copying collectors of which we are aware by up to 40%, and on average by 5 to 10%, for small to moderate heap sizes. New garbage collection algorithms are rare, and yet we define not just one, but a new family of collectors that subsumes previous work. This generality enables us to explore a larger design space and build better collectors

Cytoplasmic Domain of the 180-kD Bullous Pemphigoid Antigen, a Hemidesmosomal Component: Molecular and Cell Biologic Characterization

Using a serum sample of a bullous pemphigoid (BP) patient we have isolated a cDNA clone encoding a portion of a 180-kD polypeptide component of the hemidesmosome, the “BP180 autoantigen.” The identity of the clone was confirmed by the generation of a fusion protein antibody that recognizes BP180 in both a basal epithelial cell extract of bovine tongue and extract of human epidermal cells. Immunoelectron microscopy indicates that the 588-bp cDNA encodes a cytoplasmic fragment of BP180. Furthermore, the wide species reactivity of the fusion protein suggests that this portion of BP180 is highly conserved. In cultured human epidermal cells processed for confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, the fusion protein antibody generates a punctate cell substrate-associated staining pattern that is similar to that seen using BP230 antibodies. Using the original BP180 cDNA we have now isolated additional cDNA clones encoding approximately 1800bp of BP180 the 3' sequence of which overlaps with the sequence detailed in Giudice et al (J Clin Invest 87:734–738, 1991). Secondary structural analyses have been undertaken on the predicted amino acids encoded by the 1800bp. These suggest that the collagen-like sequences of BP180 described by Giudice et al (ibid.) are separated by a putative transmembrane region from the domain of BP180 recognized by our fusion protein antibody. Indeed, BP180 appears to belong to a relatively rare group of proteins in which the N-terminus is located in the cytoplasm and the C-terminus is extracellular. We detail some preliminary biochemical experiments in support of this hypothesis. We discuss possible functions of BP180 and BP230 in the hemidesmosome

New insights into HTLV entry

International audiencen.

Current concepts regarding the HTLV-1 receptor complex

The identity of the Human T lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) receptor remained an unsolved puzzle for two decades, until the recent demonstration that three molecules, Glucose Transporter 1, Neuropilin-1 and Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans are involved in HTLV-1 binding and entry. Despite these advances, several questions remain unanswered, including the precise role of each of these molecules during virus entry. In light of the most recent data, we propose a model of the HTLV-1 receptor complex and discuss its potential impact on HTLV-1 infection

Co-Occurrence and Characteristics of Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis Who Meet Criteria for Fibromyalgia : Results From a UK National Register

The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) Biologics Register in Ankylosing Spondylitis is funded by the BSR and they have receive funds for this from Pfizer, AbbVie and UCB. These companies receive advance copies of manuscripts and can provide comments but have no input into determining the topics for analysis, publication and no input into the work involved in this analysis. This analysis is part-funded by Arthritis Research UK (Grant No: 21378)Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the acute general medical hospital: A longitudinal cohort study

yesBackground: The acute hospital is a challenging place for a person with dementia. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common and may be exacerbated by the hospital environment. Concerns have been raised about how BPSD are managed in this setting and about over reliance on neuroleptic medication. This study aimed to investigate how BPSD are managed in UK acute hospitals. Method(s): A longitudinal cohort of 230 patients with dementia admitted to two acute NHS hospitals. BPSD were measured every four days (Behave-AD scale), as well as documentation of pharmacological prescriptions and non-pharmacological management. Results: The overall prevalence of BPSD was 75%, with aggression and activity disturbance being the most common. Antipsychotics were prescribed for 28 (12%) patients; 70% of these prescriptions were new on admission. Benzodiazepines were prescribed for 27 (12%) patients, antidepressants were prescribed for 37 (16%) patients, and sedatives were prescribed for 14 (3%) patients. Patients who were prescribed antipsychotics, after adjusting for end of life medication, age and dementia severity, were significantly more likely to die (adjusted hazard ratio 5.78, 95% CI 1.57, 21.26, p= 0.008). Nonpharmacological management was used in 55% of participants, most commonly psychosocial interventions (36%) with little evidence of monitoring their effectiveness. A form of restraint was used during 50 (22%) patients’ admissions. Conclusions: Antipsychotic medications and psychosocial interventions were the main methods used to manage BPSD; however, these were not implemented or monitored in a systematic fashion.Alzheimer's Society; BUPA Foundatio

Cholesterol dependence of HTLV-I infection

Cholesterol-rich plasma membrane microdomains are important for entry of many viruses, including retro-viruses. Depletion of cholesterol with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inhibits entry of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) and HTLV-I envelope pseudotyped lentivirus particles. Using a soluble fusion protein of the HTLV-I surface envelope protein with the immunoglobulin Fc domain, the HTLV-I receptor was found to colocalize with a raft-associated marker and to cluster in specific plasma membrane microdomains. Depletion of cholesterol did not alter receptor binding activity, suggesting a requirement for cholesterol in a postbinding virus entry step

Molecular Aspects of HTLV-1 Entry: Functional Domains of the HTLV-1 Surface Subunit (SU) and Their Relationships to the Entry Receptors

The initial step in retroviral infection involves specific interactions between viral envelope proteins (Env) and specific receptors on the surface of target cells. For many years, little was known about the entry receptors for HTLV-1. During this time, however, functional domains of the HTLV-1 Env were identified by analyzing the effects of neutralizing antibodies and specific mutations in Env on HTLV-1 infectivity. More recent studies have revealed that HTLV-1 infectivity involves interactions with three different molecules: heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), the VEGF-165 receptor Neuropilin 1 (NRP-1) and glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1). Here, we revisit previously published data on the functional domains of Env in regard to the recent knowledge acquired about this multi-receptor complex. We also discuss the similarities and differences between HTLV-1 and other deltaretroviruses in regards to receptor usage