Identification of Novel Nitrosative Stress Inhibitors through Virtual Screening and Experimental Evaluation.

Nitrosative and oxidative stress, associated with the generation of excessive reactive nitrogen and oxygen radical species respectively, are thought to contribute to protein misfolding diseases which represent a group of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by protein aggregation and plaque formation. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound, possesses diverse anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. Several studies have revealed that curcumin can reduce the oxidative/nitrosative stress and thereby decrease the neuronal attrition.

The effect of noncardiac disease on plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of noncardiac disease on c-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (cBNP) concentrations in dogs.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Urban university veterinary hospital.

Prediction of partial molar volumes of amino acids and small peptides: counting atoms versus topological indices.

Experimental data of partial molar volumes of amino acids and small peptides were compiled from several publications and enabled us to perform a predicative analysis based on quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR). Based on the simplest level of the descriptors, the new method has high accuracy and was found to be more reliable when compared to the latter QSPR method based on topological indexes. Incorporation of isoelectric pH and 3-D solvent-accessible surface area parameters increased the predictability of the equation to a small extent.

Assessment of plasma cardiac troponin I concentration as a means to differentiate cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea in cats.

Objective: To determine whether plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations can be used to discriminate cardiac from noncardiac causes of dyspnea in cats.

Design: Prospective, multicenter study.

Animals: Client-owned cats with dyspnea attributable to congestive heart failure (D-CHF; n=31) or to noncardiac causes (D-NCC; n=12).