Using the RNAstructure Software Package to Predict Conserved RNA Structures.

The structures of many non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) are conserved by evolution to a greater extent than their sequences. By predicting the conserved structure of two or more homologous sequences, the accuracy of secondary structure prediction can be improved as compared to structure prediction for a single sequence. Here, we provide protocols for the use of four programs in the RNAstructure suite to predict conserved structures: Multilign, TurboFold, Dynalign, and PARTS.

NNDB: An Expanded Database of Nearest Neighbor Parameters for Predicting Stability of Nucleic Acid Secondary Structures.

Nearest neighbor thermodynamic parameters are widely used for RNA and DNA secondary structure prediction and to model thermodynamic ensembles of secondary structures. The Nearest Neighbor Database (NNDB) is a freely available web resource (https://rna.urmc.

RNA Secondary Structure Analysis Using RNAstructure.

RNAstructure is a user-friendly program for the prediction and analysis of RNA secondary structure. It is available as a web server, a program with a graphical user interface, or a set of command line tools. The programs are available for Microsoft Windows, macOS, or Linux.

iSleepFirst: burnout, fatigue, and wearable-tracked sleep deprivation among residents staffing the medical intensive care unit.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep, burnout, and psychomotor vigilance in residents working in the medical intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective cohort study of residents was implemented during a consecutive 4-week. Residents were recruited to wear a sleep tracker for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks during their medical ICU rotation.

Robotic bronchoscopy and future directions of interventional pulmonology.

Purpose Of Review: To describe the emerging field of robotic bronchoscopy within advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy. We review the literature available for these two novel platforms to highlight their differences and discuss the impact on future directions.

Recent Findings: There are two distinct technologies both known as robotic bronchoscopy.

ICU Mortality in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: Highlighting Healthcare Disparities in Rural Appalachia.

Unlabelled: To assess 30-day mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients transferred from rural Appalachian hospitals.

Design: Retrospective case controlled, based on consecutive patients transferred and admitted from rural hospitals to a tertiary-care ICU. The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day mortality.

Hospital screening for obstructive sleep apnea in patients admitted to a rural, tertiary care academic hospital with heart failure.

Background: Rural communities represent a vulnerable population that would significantly benefit from hospital-based OSA screening given these areas tend to have significant health-care disparities and poor health outcomes. Although inpatient screening has been studied at urban hospitals, no study to date has assessed this approach in rural populations.

Methods: This study utilized the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) to generate a list of potential candidates by employing inclusion/exclusion criteria as screening.

Massive Pulmonary Embolism in a Recent Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Case Report of Inhaled Nitric Oxide to Improve Outcomes.

Acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE) has a high mortality if left untreated. The mainstay of treatment is systemic thrombolysis which has some absolute contraindications like intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a selective pulmonary vasodilator that decreases pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and allows the right ventricle of the heart to pump against less resistance.

Refractory Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Secondary to COVID-19 Successfully Extubated to Average Volume-assured Pressure Support Non-invasive Ventilator.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by the highly infectious novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spread by droplet transmission. Consequently, the use of respiratory devices that may potentially promote aerosolization like non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) for diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), advanced chronic obstructive lung disease, pulmonary hypertension (PH), and neuromuscular respiratory disease has been called into question. We present a case of a patient with history of OSA and PH convalescing from refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to COVID-19 who was successfully extubated to average volume-assured pressure support (AVAPS).

Chronic Vaping Related Tracheomalacia (TM): A Case of Vaping Induced Altered Innate Immunity that Culminated in Severe TM.

Tracheomalacia (TM) is a weakness of the trachea either due to impaired cartilage integrity or atrophy of muscular elastic fibers. We present the first-ever case of chronic vaping induced altered immunological defenses that led to frequent pulmonary infections, ultimately culminating in severe TM which we successfully treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. A 53-year-old male presented with hypoxia and pneumonia refractory to outpatient antibiotics and steroids.