Intra- and interindividual attack frequency variability of chronic cluster headache.

Background: The lack of knowledge about the intra- and interindividual attack frequency variability in chronic cluster headache complicates power and sample size calculations for baseline periods of trials, and consensus on their most optimal duration.

Methods: We analyzed the 12-week baseline of the ICON trial (occipital nerve stimulation in medically intractable chronic cluster headache) for: (i) weekly vs. instantaneous recording of attack frequency; (ii) intra-individual and seasonal variability of attack frequency; and (iii) the smallest number of weeks to obtain a reliable estimate of baseline attack frequency.

Long-lasting distortion of GABA signaling in MS/DB neurons after binge-like ethanol exposure during initial synaptogenesis.

Using a well-established model of binge-like ethanol treatment of rat pups on postnatal days (PD) 4-9, we found that maturation of GABAA receptor (GABAAR) miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) was substantially blunted for medial septum/diagonal band (MS/DB) neurons in brain slices on PD 11-16. Ethanol reduced mPSC amplitude, frequency, and decay kinetics, while attenuating or exaggerating allosteric actions of zolpidem and allopregnanolone, respectively. The impact of ethanol in vivo was long lasting as most changes in MS/DB GABAAR mPSCs were still observed as late as PD 60-85.

Coarse-grained modeling of the self-association of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

Coarse-grained computational models of two therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are constructed to understand the effect of domain-level charge-charge electrostatics on the self-association phenomena at high protein concentrations. The coarse-grained representations of the individual antibodies are constructed using an elastic network normal-mode analysis. Two different models are constructed for each antibody for a compact Y-shaped and an extended Y-shaped configuration.

Construction, MD simulation, and hydrodynamic validation of an all-atom model of a monoclonal IgG antibody.

At 150 kDa, antibodies of the IgG class are too large for their structure to be determined with current NMR methodologies. Because of hinge-region flexibility, it is difficult to obtain atomic-level structural information from the crystal, and questions regarding antibody structure and dynamics in solution remain unaddressed. Here we describe the construction of a model of a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (trastuzumab) from the crystal structures of fragments.

Clozapine and the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway: implications for antipsychotic actions.

Background: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways respond to dopaminergic and serotonergic agents and mediate short- and long-term effects of intracellular signaling in neurons. Here we show that the antipsychotic agent, clozapine, selectively activates the MEK/ERK MAPK pathway, and inhibition of this pathway reverses clozapine's actions in the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) paradigm, a rodent behavioral assay of antipsychotic activity.

Methods: Phosphorylation patterns of MAPK pathway enzymes were determined by quantitative immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemistry of rat prefrontal cortex.

Down regulation of interleukin-1beta-induced nitric oxide production in lacrimal gland acinar cells by sex steroids.

Purpose: Because the ocular surface is constantly exposed to allergens and irritants, it was reasoned that one cause of dry eye might be damage from inflammatory responses normally regulated by sex steroids. To test this hypothesis, we determined if sex steroids could down regulate nitric oxide (NO) production induced by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in cultured rabbit lacrimal gland acinar cells.

Methods: Cultured rabbit lacrimal gland acinar cells were exposed to IL-1beta to stimulate NO production.

Studies of calmodulin-dependent regulation.

Methods are presented for purifying bovine testes calmodulin and the calmodulin-regulated plasma-membrane calcium ATPase from human erythrocytes by calcium dependent affinity chromatography. The assay of CaM Kinase II using a synthetic peptide substrate is also described.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonists inhibit interleukin-1beta-mediated nitric oxide production in cultured lacrimal gland acinar cells.

Development of dry eye disease often occurs in individuals with autoimmune disorders such as Sjögren's syndrome. The cause of dry eye in these patients is thought to be due, at least in part, to lymphocytic infiltration of the lacrimal glands, with subsequent loss of secretion of the aqueous component of tear film. How this lymphocytic infiltration leads to loss of secretion is not fully understood.

Induction of nitric oxide synthase and over-production of nitric oxide by interleukin-1beta in cultured lacrimal gland acinar cells.

Purpose: Inflammation of the lacrimal gland is one of the major causative factors in aqueous tear-deficient dry eye syndrome. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production is upregulated in lacrimal gland autoimmune disease (i.e.

Nitric oxide and cyclic GMP-mediated protein secretion from cultured lacrimal gland acinar cells.

Purpose: Nitric oxide (NO) donors and NO synthase (NOS) substrates were tested for their use to stimulate protein secretion from cultured lacrimal gland acinar cells, through activation of guanylate cyclase.

Method: Rabbit lacrimal gland epithelial cells (RLG cells) were incubated with NO donors and/or NOS substrates and the protein released into culture medium was determined with bicinchoninic acid assay. Guanylate cyclase activation by NO precursors was determined by measurement of c-GMP produced.

(Trimethylsilyl)phosphine as a Versatile Reagent for Syntheses of New 4-Sila- and 4-Phosphaphosphorinanes.

(Trimethylsilyl)phosphine (Me(3)SiPH(2)) undergoes radical P-H bond addition to vinylphosphines and -silanes to form new 4-phospha- and 4-silaphosphorinanes [vinyl reagent]: [PhP(CH=CH(2))(2)], PhP(C(2)H(4))(2)PSiMe(3) diastereomers (9A/9B); [Et(2)NP(CH=CH(2))(2)], Et(2)NP(C(2)H(4))(2)PSiMe(3) (11); [Me(2)Si(CH=CH(2))(2)], Me(2)Si(C(2)H(4))(2)PSiMe(3) (14); [Si(CH=CH(2))(4)], (CH=CH(2))(2)Si(C(2)H(4))(2)PSiMe(3) (16) and [Me(3)SiP(C(2)H(4))(2)](2)Si (17). Reactions are accompanied by formation of only small quantities of the Markovnikov addition product phospholanes. Methanolysis of the new silylphosphines yields PhP(C(2)H(4))(2)PH diastereomers (10A/10B), Me(2)Si(C(2)H(4))PH (15), (CH=CH(2))(2)Si(C(2)H(4))(2)PH (18), and [HP(C(2)H(4))(2)](2)Si (19).