Molluscs form their shells out of CaCO 3 and a matrix of biomacromolecules. Understanding the role of matrices may shed some light on the mechanism of biomineralization. Here, a 1401-bp full-length cDNA sequence encoding a novel matrix protein was cloned from the mantle of the bivalve oyster, Pinctada fucata. The deduced protein (Prisilkin-39), which has a molecular mass of 39.3 kDa and an isoelectric point of 8.83, was fully characterized, and its role in biomineralization was demonstrated using both in vivo and in vitro crystal growth assays. Prisilkin-39 is a highly repetitive protein with an unusual composition of Gly, Tyr, and Ser residues. Expression of Prisilkin-39 was localized to columnar epithelial cells of the mantle edge, corresponding to the calcitic prismatic layer formation. Immunostaining in situ and immunodetection in vitro revealed the presence of a characteristic pattern of Prisilkin-39 in the organic sheet and in sheaths around the prisms. Prisilkin-39 binds tightly with chitin, an insoluble polysaccharide that forms the highly structured framework of the shell. Antibody injection in vivo resulted in dramatic morphological deformities in the inner shell surface structure, where large amounts of CaCO 3 were deposited in an uncontrolled manner. Moreover, Prisilkin-39 strictly prohibited the precipitation of aragonite in vitro. Taken together, Prisilkin-39 is the first protein shown to have dual function, involved both in the chitinous framework building and in crystal growth regulation during the prismatic layer mineralization. These observations may extend our view on the rare group of basic matrices and their functions during elaboration of the molluscan shell.
Patient-physician communication is a crucial aspect of clinical diagnoses and treatments. However, there are barriers to effective empathic practices, including consciousness, busy working rhythms, and difficulties recognising patients' implicit emotional expressions. While previous research has attempted to support asynchronous medical conversations, this study has explored the use of emotion visualisation techniques for synchronous, face-to-face medical encounters. After interviewing doctors to understand user requirements, an emotion-visualisation prototype, EMVIS, was created. The prototype was evaluated in a study with 31 patients and 37 healthcare providers within different specialist groups using a contextualised Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and follow-up interviews. The results indicated that patients and physicians were generally accepting of emotion visualisation for medical encounters. Patients were more interested in their physicians' attitudes and intentions, while physicians accepted the visualisation, but their requirements differed according to their skill levels and specialities. Hence, four supportive factors -emotional empathy, careful attention, human connection, and reflective conversation -elicited information on how EMVIS contributed to medical conversations. Five future opportunities for the emotion visualisation of medical conversations were discussed in respect of the human factors and potential requirements. These include communicating uncertainty, addressing user diversity, providing explanatory information, managing attention, and supporting negotiations.
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