Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and their effects on contrast-induced nephropathy after cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention.

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing diagnostic procedures and/or interventional procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) use has been implicated both as increasing the risk of developing CIN and as a protective factor against developing CIN. Because many patients who are referred for cardiac catheterization have comorbidities for which ACEIs are utilized, the precise role of these medications in the pathogenesis of CIN needs to be clarified.

Structure-based prediction of protein-peptide specificity in Rosetta.

Protein-peptide interactions mediate many of the connections in intracellular signaling networks. A generalized computational framework for atomically precise modeling of protein-peptide specificity may allow for predicting molecular interactions, anticipating the effects of drugs and genetic mutations, and redesigning molecules for new interactions. We have developed an extensible, general algorithm for structure-based prediction of protein-peptide specificity as part of the Rosetta molecular modeling package.

Conformational preference of ChaK1 binding peptides: a molecular dynamics study.

TRPM7/ChaK1 is a recently discovered atypical protein kinase that has been suggested to selectively phosphorylate the substrate residues located in alpha-helices. However, the actual structure of kinase-substrate complex has not been determined experimentally and the recognition mechanism remains unknown. In this work we explored possible kinase-substrate binding modes and the likelihood of an alpha-helix docking interaction, within a kinase active site, using molecular modeling.

Origin of a common trunk for the inferior phrenic arteries from the right renal artery: a new anatomic vascular variant with clinical implications.

The inferior phrenic arteries constitute a pair of important vessels, supplying multiple organs including the diaphragm, adrenal glands, esophagus, stomach, liver, inferior vena cava, and retroperitoneum. The vast majority (80-90%) of inferior phrenic arteries originate as separate vessels with near equal frequency from either the abdominal aorta or the celiac trunk. Infrequently, the right and left inferior phrenic arteries can arise in the form of a common trunk from the aorta or from the celiac trunk.

A collaborative approach to developing a validated competence-based curriculum for health professions students.

Problem: Curricula are developed to educate health professions students to provide efficient and effective health services. In addition to learning their disciplinary perspective, today's students must master the concepts of multidisciplinary team care. Traditionally, curriculum was developed based primarily on the perspectives of the discipline faculty, administration and accrediting agencies.