The purpose of this study was to examine whether the substitution of the Lys linker with the β-Ala could reduce the renal uptake of (99m)Tc-labeled Arg-X-Asp-conjugated and X-Ala-Asp-conjugated α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) peptides. RSD-β-Ala-(Arg(11))CCMSH (1) {c[Arg-Ser-Asp-dTyr-Asp]-β-Ala-Cys-Cys-Glu-His-dPhe-Arg-Trp-Cys-Arg-Pro-Val-NH2}, RTD-β-Ala-(Arg(11))CCMSH (2), RVD-β-Ala-(...

The inverse sequences of naturally occurring proteins display different folding and structural properties fail to retain the functions native despite identical fundamental features, such as amino acid composition, hydrophobicity, etc. To gain insight into physical mechanisms underlying secondary structure formation aggregation direct retro amyloidogenic peptides, we probed fibrillogenesis accom...

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and obesity that promote the development of cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome has been associated with changes in the secretion or metabolism of glucocorticoids, which have important functions in adipose, liver, kidney, and vasculature. Tissue concentrations of the active glu...

BACKGROUND The serotonin precursor 5-hydroxy-L-[β-(11)C]tryptophan ([(11)C]HTP) is in clinical use for localization of neuroendocrine tumors and has been suggested as a proxy marker for pancreatic islet cells. However, degradation by monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) reduces retention and the contrast to non-endocrine tissue. METHODS A synthesis method was developed for 5-hydroxy-L-[β- (11)C(2)H]tr...

Steroid 11 β -hydroxylase deficiency (11 β -OHD) is the second most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Mutations in the CYP11B1 gene, which encodes steroid 11 β -hydroxylase, are responsible for this autosomal recessive disorder. Here, we describe the molecular genetics of two previously reported male siblings in whom diagnosis of 11 β -OHD has been established based on their hormo...

The number of clinical specimens containing β-lactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates is increasing. However, whether resistance is associated with reduced fitness is still uncertain in clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. In this study, we aimed to determine whether β-lactam resistance conferred a fitness cost in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Growth rate, extracellular slime production...