Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by mutant huntingtin protein containing an expanded polyglutamine tract, which may cause abnormal protein-protein interactions such as increased association with calmodulin (CaM). We previously demonstrated in HEK293 cells that a peptide containing amino acids 76-121 of CaM (CaM-peptide) interrupted the interaction between CaM and ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Self-reported use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients varies widely between studies, possibly because the definition of a CAM user is not comparable. This makes it difficult to compare studies. The aim of this study is to present a six-level model for classifying patients' reported exposure to CAM. Prayer, physical exercise, special diets, ov...

OBJECTIVE In this study, we explored parents' perspectives toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by their children and its impact on parent-doctor and doctor-CAM-practitioner communication. PATIENTS AND METHODS We designed a 2-arm study of parents who approached either conventional primary care or CAM clinics with their children to consult physicians or practitioners regardi...

We have expressed the rat brain Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase type IV in insect cells. The recombinant enzyme is produced as a single polypeptide that migrates on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at 61 kDa. Recombinant CaM kinase IV undergoes slow CaM-dependent autophosphorylation. The autophosphorylation of CaM kinase IV occurs on serine residues but is not accompanied b...

Autophosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) induces a striking >1,000-fold increase in its affinity for CaM, which has been called CaM trapping. Two peptides modeled after the CaM binding domain of CaM-kinase II were previously shown to kinetically resemble CaM binding to phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of the enzyme, thus providing a model...

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-KII) regulates numerous physiological functions, including neuronal synaptic plasticity through the phosphorylation of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid-type glutamate receptors. To identify proteins that may interact with and modulate CaM-KII function, a yeast two-hybrid screen was performed by using a rat brain cDNA libra...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to obtain and analyze data on self-perceived efficacy of different types of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) by patients with various rheumatologic conditions. METHODS Patients followed in rheumatology outpatient clinics were screened for the use of CAM. Patients reporting the use of CAM were asked to participate in face-to-face...

The developmental appearance of cell-adhesion molecules (CAMs) was mapped during the morphogenesis of the adult chicken feather. Neural CAM (N-CAM), liver CAM (L-CAM), and neuron-glia CAM (Ng-CAM), as well as substrate molecules (laminin and fibronectin), were compared in newborn chicken skin by immunohistochemical means. N-CAM was found to be enriched in the dermal papilla, which was closely a...

The motor function of vertebrate myosin-5a is inhibited by its tail in a Ca2+-dependent manner. We previously demonstrated that the calmodulin (CaM) bound to the first isoleucine-glutamine (IQ) motif (IQ1) of myosin-5a is responsible for the Ca2+-dependent regulation of myosin-5a. We have solved the crystal structure of a truncated myosin-5a containing the motor domain and IQ1 (MD-IQ1) complexe...

BACKGROUND To assess pediatricians' attitudes toward & practice of Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) including their knowledge, experience, & referral patterns for CAM therapies. METHODS An anonymous, self-report, 27-item questionnaire was mailed nationally to fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics in July 2004.648 of 3500 pediatricians' surveyed responded (18%). RESULTS The m...