Origin of current intermediate wheatgrass germplasm being developed for Kernza grain production.

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, [Host] Barkworth & D. R. Dewey) has been developed as a perennial grain crop to provide ecosystem services, environmental benefits, and human food.

Clinical Immersion of Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Students: Best Practices for Short-Term Programs.

Many biomedical engineering degree programs lack substantial immersive clinical experiences for undergraduate students, creating a need for clinical immersion programs that contribute to training objectives that emphasize current clinical needs (Becker in Eur J Eng Educ 31:261-272, 2006; Davis et al. in J Eng Educ 91:211-221, 2002; Dym et al. in J Eng Educ 94:103-120, 2005).

N-(6-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-3,4-difluoro-benzamide (ICA-27243): a novel, selective KCNQ2/Q3 potassium channel activator.

KCNQ2 (Kv7.2) and KCNQ3 (Kv7.3) are voltage-gated K(+) channel subunits that underlie the neuronal M current.

A-803467, a potent and selective Nav1.8 sodium channel blocker, attenuates neuropathic and inflammatory pain in the rat.

Activation of tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels contributes to action potential electrogenesis in neurons. Antisense oligonucleotide studies directed against Na(v)1.8 have shown that this channel contributes to experimental inflammatory and neuropathic pain.

Distribution and functional properties of human KCNH8 (Elk1) potassium channels.

The Elk subfamily of the Eag K+ channel gene family is represented in mammals by three genes that are highly conserved between humans and rodents. Here we report the distribution and functional properties of a member of the human Elk K+ channel gene family, KCNH8. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of mRNA expression patterns showed that KCNH8, along with the other Elk family genes, KCNH3 and KCNH4, are primarily expressed in the human nervous system.

Retrospective analysis of an experimental high-throughput screening data set by recursive partitioning.

With the emergence of combinatorial chemistry, whether based on parallel, mixture, solution, or solid phase chemistry, it is now possible to generate large numbers of diverse or focused compound libraries. In this paper we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to design targeted libraries by applying nonparametric statistical methods, recursive partitioning in particular, to large data sets containing thousands of compounds and their associated biological data. Moreover, when applied to an experimental high-throughput screening (HTS) data set, our data strongly suggest that this method can improve the hit rate of our primary screens (about 4- to 5-fold) while increasing screening efficiency: less than one-fifth of the complete selection needs to be screened in order to identify about 75% of all actives present.

Direct activation of an inwardly rectifying potassium channel by arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic acid (AA) is an important constituent of membrane phospholipids and can be liberated by activation of cellular phospholipases. AA modulates a variety of ion channels via diverse mechanisms, including both direct effects by AA itself and indirect actions through AA metabolites. Here, we report excitatory effects of AA on a cloned human inwardly rectifying K(+) channel, Kir2.

Characterization of KCNQ5/Q3 potassium channels expressed in mammalian cells.

Heteromeric KCNQ5/Q3 channels were stably expressed in Chinese Hamster ovary cells and characterized using the whole cell voltage-clamp technique. KCNQ5/Q3 channels were activated by the novel anticonvulsant, retigabine (EC(50) 1.4 microM) by a mechanism that involved drug-induced, leftward shifts in the voltage-dependence of channel activation (-31.

Retigabine, a novel anti-convulsant, enhances activation of KCNQ2/Q3 potassium channels.

Retigabine [N-(2-amino-4-[fluorobenzylamino]-phenyl) carbamic acid; D-23129] is a novel anticonvulsant, unrelated to currently available antiepileptic agents, with activity in a broad range of seizure models. In the present study, we sought to determine whether retigabine could enhance current through M-like currents in PC12 cells and KCNQ2/Q3 K(+) channels expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-KCNQ2/Q3). In differentiated PC12 cells, retigabine enhanced a linopirdine-sensitive current.

Amylin modulates beta-cell glucose sensing via effects on stimulus-secretion coupling.

The release of insulin from the pancreatic beta cell is dependent upon a complex interplay between stimulators and inhibitors. Recently, amylin, a peptide secreted by pancreatic beta cells, has been implicated in the development of type II (noninsulin dependent) diabetes through its modulation of the peripheral effects of insulin. However, the effect of amylin on insulin secretion from the beta cell has remained controversial.

Endothelin induces a nonselective cation current in vascular smooth muscle cells.

The potent vasoconstrictor endothelin leads to smooth muscle cell depolarization and increases in intracellular Ca2+. Although effects of endothelin on calcium channels have been described, it also has been speculated that endothelim may activate additional ion channels. The purpose of the present study was to identify an alternative ion current that could play a role in depolarizing cells in response to vasoconstrictors like endothelin and vasopressin.

Aminopyridines block an inactivating potassium current having slow recovery kinetics.

The blocking action of aminopyridines on an inactivating K current (lKi) in GH3 pituitary cells was studied before and after altering the macroscopic decay of the current with N-bromoacetamide (NBA). The first depolarizing pulse delivered either seconds or minutes after beginning 4-aminopyridine (4AP) application, elicited a current with both a more rapid decay and a reduced peak amplitude. The rapid decay (or time-dependent block) was especially prominent in NBA-treated cells.

The inactivating K+ current in GH3 pituitary cells and its modification by chemical reagents.

1. Whole-cell and single-channel recording techniques were applied to the study of the permeability and gating of inactivating K+ channels from clonal pituitary cells. 2.

Modulation of acetylcholine receptor desensitization by forskolin is independent of cAMP.

Biochemical and electrophysiological studies suggest that adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent phosphorylation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor channel is functionally significant because it modifies the receptor's rate of desensitization to acetylcholine. In studies that support this conclusion researchers have used forskolin to stimulate cAMP-dependent phosphorylation in intact muscle. It is now shown that although forskolin facilitated desensitization in voltage-clamped rat muscle, this effect was not correlated with the abilities of forskolin and forskolin analogs to activate adenylate cyclase or phosphorylate the receptor.

Cation permeation through the voltage-dependent potassium channel in the squid axon. Characteristics and mechanisms.

Characteristics of cation permeation through voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K channels in squid giant axons were examined. Axial wire voltage-clamp measurements and internal perfusion were used to determine conductance and permeability properties. These K channels exhibit conductance saturation and decline with increases in symmetrical K+ concentrations to 3 M.