Cerebrospinal Fluid and Brain Proteoforms of the Granin Neuropeptide Family in Alzheimer's Disease.

The granin neuropeptide family is composed of acidic secretory signaling molecules that act throughout the nervous system to help modulate synaptic signaling and neural activity. Granin neuropeptides have been shown to be dysregulated in different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies have suggested that the granin neuropeptides and their protease-cleaved bioactive peptides (proteoforms) may act as both powerful drivers of gene expression and as a biomarker of synaptic health in AD.

Tryptophan metabolism is inversely regulated in the tumor and blood of patients with glioblastoma.

Tryptophan (Trp)-catabolic enzymes (TCEs) produce metabolites that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and promote tumor progression and immunosuppression in glioblastoma. As therapies targeting TCEs or AHR become available, a better understanding of Trp metabolism is required. The combination of LC-MS/MS with chemical isobaric labeling enabled the simultaneous quantitative comparison of Trp and its amino group-bearing metabolites in multiple samples.

TMTpro: Design, Synthesis, and Initial Evaluation of a Proline-Based Isobaric 16-Plex Tandem Mass Tag Reagent Set.

The design and synthesis of a proline-based reporter isobaric Tandem Mass Tag structure (TMTpro) is presented. An analysis is made of the performance of the new TMTpro tags in comparison with the current commercially available dimethylpiperidine-reporter-based TMT10/11 reagents. The new reporter structure provides a set of 16 tags for use with resolution of 6.

Precultures Grown under Fed-Batch Conditions Increase the Reliability and Reproducibility of High-Throughput Screening Results.

One essential task in bioprocess development is strain selection. A common screening procedure consists of three steps: first, the picking of colonies; second, the execution of a batch preculture and main culture, e.g.

Nanomorphology Effects in Semiconductors with Native Ferromagnetism: Hierarchical Europium (II) Oxide Tubes Prepared via a Topotactic Nanostructure Transition.

Semiconductors with native ferromagnetism barely exist and defined nanostructures are almost unknown. This lack impedes the exploration of a new class of materials characterized by a direct combination of effects on the electronic system caused by quantum confinement effects with magnetism. A good example is EuO for which currently no reliable routes for nanoparticle synthesis can be established.

Inertia-Free Thermally Driven Domain-Wall Motion in Antiferromagnets.

Domain-wall motion in antiferromagnets triggered by thermally induced magnonic spin currents is studied theoretically. It is shown by numerical calculations based on a classical spin model that the wall moves towards the hotter regions, as in ferromagnets. However, for larger driving forces the so-called Walker breakdown-which usually speeds down the wall-is missing.

Surviving nebulization-induced stress: dexamethasone in pH-sensitive archaeosomes.

Aim: To increase the subcellular delivery of dexamethasone phosphate (DP) and stability to nebulization stress, pH-sensitive nanoliposomes (LpH) exhibiting archaeolipids, acting as ligands for scavenger receptors (pH-sensitive archaeosomes [ApH]), were prepared.

Materials & Methods: The anti-inflammatory effect of 0.18 mg DP/mg total lipid, 100-150 nm DP-containing ApH (dioleylphosphatidylethanolamine: Halorubrum tebenquichense total polar archaeolipids:cholesteryl hemisuccinate 4.

Low-pH Solid-Phase Amino Labeling of Complex Peptide Digests with TMTs Improves Peptide Identification Rates for Multiplexed Global Phosphopeptide Analysis.

We present a novel tandem mass tag solid-phase amino labeling (TMT-SPAL) protocol using reversible immobilization of peptides onto octadecyl-derivatized (C18) solid supports. This method can reduce the number of steps required in complex protocols, saving time and potentially reducing sample loss. In our global phosphopeptide profiling workflow (SysQuant), we can cut 24 h from the protocol while increasing peptide identifications (20%) and reducing side reactions.

Quantification of pancreatic cancer proteome and phosphorylome: indicates molecular events likely contributing to cancer and activity of drug targets.

Objective: LC-MS/MS phospho-proteomics is an essential technology to help unravel the complex molecular events that lead to and propagate cancer. We have developed a global phospho-proteomic workflow to determine activity of signaling pathways and drug targets in pancreatic cancer tissue for clinical application.

Methods: Peptides resulting from tryptic digestion of proteins extracted from frozen tissue of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and background pancreas (n = 12), were labelled with tandem mass tags (TMT 8-plex), separated by strong cation exchange chromatography, then were analysed by LC-MS/MS directly or first enriched for phosphopeptides using IMAC and TiO2, prior to analysis.

Integrated models of education and service involving community-based health care for underserved populations: Tulane student-run free clinics.

Objectives: Throughout the United States numerous models of local programs, including student-run clinics, exist to address the issue of access to care. The role of these clinics in serving the local community and contributing to medical education has been documented only in limited detail, however. The purpose of this article is to describe the clinic models, patient demographics, and services provided by four student-run clinics in New Orleans.

Pharmacoproteomic investigation into antidepressant response in two mouse inbred strains.

In this study, we present a pharmacoproteomic investigation of response to antidepressants two inbred strains. Our aim was to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying antidepressant action and identify new biomarkers to determine therapeutic response to two antidepressants with proven efficacy in the treatment of depression but divergent mechanisms of action. Mice were treated with the pro-noradrenergic drug nortriptyline, the pro-serotonergic drug escitalopram or saline.

Suspension culture of human pluripotent stem cells in controlled, stirred bioreactors.

Therapeutic and industrial applications of pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives require large cell quantities generated in defined conditions. To this end, we have translated single cell-inoculated suspension cultures of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs; including human induced pluripotent stem cells [hiPS] and human embryonic stem cells [hESC]) to stirred tank bioreactors. These systems that are widely used in biopharmaceutical industry allow straightforward scale up and detailed online monitoring of key process parameters.

Breast Cancer Proteomics - Differences in Protein Expression between Estrogen Receptor-Positive and -Negative Tumors Identified by Tandem Mass Tag Technology.

BACKGROUND: Proteomic analysis has become an effective tool in breast cancer research. In this study, we applied the new gel-free tandem mass tag (TMT) reference method for the first time in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Proteomic analysis was used to compare 10 estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and 10 ER-negative samples.

Early childhood health, growth, and neurodevelopmental outcomes after complete repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection at 6 weeks or younger.

Objective: This interprovincial inception cohort study explores early childhood outcomes and their operative and perioperative predictors after total anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair, simple (patent ductus arteriosus, atrial septal defect, or both) or complex (any associated major cardiac anomalies).

Methods: From 1996 through 2004, a total of 41 consecutive neonates with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection underwent complete repair with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Multidisciplinary health and neurodevelopmental outcomes (Bayley Scales of Infant Development II [1993], Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Indices) were assessed at 18 to 24 months of age.

Long-term neuropsychological outcome of high risk infants with intracranial hemorrhage.

Evaluated long-term neuropsychological outcome of 20 high risk infants with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) during the neonatal period who appeared free of significant impairment through 30 months of age. This group was compared with a matched sample of 20 high risk infants without intracranial hemorrhage and a group of 70 children with no history of perinatal or chronic health problems. A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at age 5 revealed that the two high risk groups tended to perform at a lower level than the control group across most measures.

Autistic disorder associated with an iso-dicentric Y chromosome.

The relationship between a fragile site on the X chromosome and autism has been well documented. The authors report a three-year-old child with partial duplication of the short arm of chromosome Y, who had an autistic disorder. He was microcephalic, but otherwise had a normal phenotype.