Validation of the Croatian Version of the 8-Item Overactive Bladder Questionnaire (OAB-V8).

Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim to translate, adapt, and validate the 8-item Overactive Bladder Questionnaire (OAB-V8) in Croatia.

Methods: This study included a total of 58 female patients with OAB and 66 healthy women. The translation to Croatian followed standardized procedure.

Comparative pharmacodynamics of garenoxacin, gemifloxacin, and moxifloxacin in community-acquired pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae: a Monte Carlo simulation analysis.

Objective: This study used Monte Carlo simulations to assess the potential for attainment of pharmacodynamic targets with the fluoroquinolones garenoxacin, gemifloxacin, and moxifloxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae in serum and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) from hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: Data on the free AUC over 24 hours (fAUC(0-24)), a measure of drug exposure, were derived from previously described population pharmacokinetic models for therapeutic doses of the 3 fluoroquinolones. MIC distribution data for S pneumoniae were obtained from the Canadian Respiratory Organism Susceptibility Study.

Modulation of diacylglycerol kinase theta activity by alpha-thrombin and phospholipids.

Diacylglycerol kinase modulates the levels of diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid, two critical lipid second messengers, yet little is known about the effects of cellular stimulation on the kinetic behavior of this enzyme. We examined the effects of alpha-thrombin and activating phospholipids on the activity and substrate affinity of a soluble diacylglycerol kinase, DGKtheta. Our data demonstrate that the apparent binding parameters of DGKtheta increase following thrombin stimulation, suggesting that alpha-thrombin antagonizes DGKtheta activity.

Analysis of a novel diacylglycerol kinase from Dictyostelium discoideum: DGKA.

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) catalyze the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of diacylglycerols to generate phosphatidic acid and have been investigated in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Recently, a protein that is significantly similar to human DGK-theta, DGKA, was identified in Dictyostelium discoideum. It has been shown to possess DGK activity when assayed using a medium-chain diacylglycerol, 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (DiC8).