Adherence to, and outcomes of, a galactomannan screening protocol in high-risk hematology patients.

Background: A twice-weekly galactomannan (gm) screening protocol was implemented in high-risk hematology inpatients. Study objectives were to determine adherence to the protocol, use of selected resources, and patient outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study compared outcomes of interest before and after implementation of gm screening.

Candidate early predictors for progression to joint damage in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To assess if joint damage at 2 years after diagnosis in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) can be predicted by clinical or laboratory features assessed up to 3 or 6 months after diagnosis.

Methods: Medical records from 70 children were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome measure was presence of joint damage at 2 years after diagnosis (JD2) as defined by presence of erosions or fusion in one or more joints.

Protein kinase C epsilon signaling complexes include metabolism- and transcription/translation-related proteins: complimentary separation techniques with LC/MS/MS.

The serine/threonine kinase protein kinase C epsilon (PKC epsilon) has been shown to be a critical component in the heart's resistance to cell death following ischemic insult. Recent studies have indicated that PKC epsilon forms multi-protein signaling complexes to accomplish signal transduction in cardiac protection. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE), combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MS), the initial analysis of these complexes identified signaling molecules, structural proteins, and stress-activated proteins.

HSP22, a new member of the small heat shock protein superfamily, interacts with mimic of phosphorylated HSP27 ((3D)HSP27).

Most of the members of the superfamily of mammalian small heat shock or stress proteins are abundant in muscles where they play a role in muscle function and maintenance of muscle integrity. One member of this protein superfamily, human HSP27, is rapidly phosphorylated on three serine residues (Ser(15), Ser(78), and Ser(82)) during cellular response to a number of extracellular factors. To understand better the role of HSP27, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screen of a human heart cDNA library for HSP27-interacting proteins.

Combinatorial peptide on-resin analysis: optimization of static nanoelectrospray ionization technique for sequence determination.

The optimizations of static nanoelectrospray parameters to determine peptide or mimetic sequences released from resin were explored. Several different manufacturers of probe tips were utilized and a method was developed for the direct analysis of bead-bound peptides by nanoelectrospray. The method involved minimum sample handling to assure maximum recovery from individual beads.