Assessment of the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a common concern in the medical field due to its prevalence in an ageing western population. HFpEF is associated with significant morbidity and mortality not dissimilar to heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and echocardiography are the guideline diagnostic indicators of HF and their use is being examined in this study, with the aim to consider NT-proBNP thresholds performance as a rule-out test.

The characterisation of novel secreted Ly-6 proteins from rat urine by the combined use of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, microbore high performance liquid chromatography and expressed sequence tag data.

A proteomic study of rat urine was undertaken using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, microbore high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequencing. Five known urinary proteins were identified but two novel peptide fragments matched a large number of rat expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a liver library. By combining protein chemical and nucleotide data, two 101-residue open reading frames with 90% amino acid identity were determined, rat urinary protein 1 (RUP-1) and RUP-2.

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.