We reported previously (±)-2-(5-methylthiophen-2-yl)-3-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one [(±)-Retro-2(cycl)] as the chemical structure of Retro-2 that showed mouse protection against ricin, a notorious ribosome inactivating protein (RIP). Herein we report our chemical resolution of (±)-Retro-2(cycl), analog synthesis, and cell-based evaluation showing that the two optically pure enantiomer...

The renal veins drain the kidney into the inferior vena cava and unite in a variable fashion to form the renal vein. The left renal vein is normally located in front of the aorta. However, the retro-aortic renal vein may course posterior to the aorta due to embryological developmental anomalies. During educational dissection, a rare variation of the left renal vein was found in a 66-year old ma...

A fraction of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) internalized by cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis follows a short-circuit pathway, termed "retro-endocytosis," that results in the rapid exocytosis of ligand. Results from the current study suggest that retro-endocytosis of LDL in human fibroblasts is caused by resurfacing of endocytotic vesicles that contain both free and receptor-bound lig...

Limited research exists on how speech impairments affect quality of life (QOL) factors over time in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A review of the literature, including the history, disease course, and prevalence of ALS, is presented. Physical and psychosocial functioning, especially the decline of bulbar functioning’s potential impact on QOL factors and communication style,...

BACKGROUND Progressive bulbar palsy (PBP) is a classic phenotype of bulbar onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with more rapid progression and worse prognosis. However, as an often under-understood variant of ALS, isolated bulbar palsy (IBP) appears to progress more slowly and has a relatively benign prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the natural course and clinical features of IB...

OBJECTIVE To determine the prognostic factors associated with survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at diagnosis. METHODS This retrospective population-based study evaluated 218 patients treated with riluzole between 2005 and 2014 and described their clinical and demographic profiles after the analysis of clinical data and records from the mortality information system in the Federal Distr...

In an ongoing clinical trial, a spinal injured patient who received a transplant of autologous cells cultured from the olfactory bulb is showing greater functional benefit than three previous patients with transplants of mucosal origin. Previous laboratory studies of transplantation into rat spinal cord injuries show that the superior reparative benefits of bulbar over mucosal cultures are asso...