Primary care detection of chronic kidney disease in adults with type-2 diabetes: the ADD-CKD Study (awareness, detection and drug therapy in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease).

This US, multicenter, observational study assessed the CKD prevalence in adult patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and characterized the proportion of detected and undiagnosed CKD in the primary care setting using the following: a clinician survey; a patient physical exam and medical history; a single blood draw for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA1c); urine dipstick for protein; urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR); two patient quality of life questionnaires; and a 15-month medical record review. The study consisted of 9339 adults with T2DM and 466 investigator sites. Of the 9339 enrolled, 9307 had complete data collection for analysis.

Molecular recognition of cyclic urea HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

As long as the threat of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease drug resistance still exists, there will be a need for more potent antiretroviral agents. We have therefore determined the crystal structures of HIV-1 protease in complex with six cyclic urea inhibitors: XK216, XK263, DMP323, DMP450, XV638, and SD146, in an attempt to identify 1) the key interactions responsible for their high potency and 2) new interactions that might improve their therapeutic benefit. The structures reveal that the preorganized, C2 symmetric scaffolds of the inhibitors are anchored in the active site of the protease by six hydrogen bonds and that their P1 and P2 substituents participate in extensive van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds.

Molecular basis of HIV-1 protease drug resistance: structural analysis of mutant proteases complexed with cyclic urea inhibitors.

In cell cultures, the key residues associated with HIV-1 resistance to cyclic urea-based HIV-1 protease (PR) inhibitors are Val82 and Ile84 of HIV-1 PR. To gain an understanding of how these two residues modulate inhibitor binding, we have measured the Ki values of three recombinant mutant proteases, I84V, V82F, and V82F/I84V, for DMP323 and DMP450, and determined the three-dimensional structures of their complexes to 2.1-1.

Isolation and refolding of H-ras from inclusion bodies of Escherichia coli: refold procedure and comparison of refolded and soluble H-ras.

A refolding and purification method for economically producing large quantities of H-ras isolated from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies is described. Experiments were performed to optimize the yield of refolded H-ras for structural analysis by NMR spectroscopy. Protein concentration, temperature, and the presence of 10% glycerol during refolding were varied.

Pyridoxal phosphate protects against an irreversible temperature-dependent inactivation of hepatic delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase.

The stability of hepatic delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS), the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway, was investigated. Incubation of the mitochondrial matrix fraction obtained from either control or allylisopropylacetamide-induced rats at 37 degrees C in Tris-Cl, pH 7.4, EDTA, and dithiothreitol resulted in a rapid decrease in ALAS activity such that 50-70% of the activity was lost after 30 min.