Predictive RNA profiles for early and very early spontaneous preterm birth.

Background: Spontaneous preterm birth remains the main driver of childhood morbidity and mortality. Because of an incomplete understanding of the molecular pathways that result in spontaneous preterm birth, accurate predictive markers and target therapeutics remain elusive.

Objective: This study sought to determine if a cell-free RNA profile could reveal a molecular signature in maternal blood months before the onset of spontaneous preterm birth.

RNA profiles reveal signatures of future health and disease in pregnancy.

Maternal morbidity and mortality continue to rise, and pre-eclampsia is a major driver of this burden. Yet the ability to assess underlying pathophysiology before clinical presentation to enable identification of pregnancies at risk remains elusive. Here we demonstrate the ability of plasma cell-free RNA (cfRNA) to reveal patterns of normal pregnancy progression and determine the risk of developing pre-eclampsia months before clinical presentation.

Hospitalist Perspectives of Available Tests to Monitor Volume Status in Patients With Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study.

Acute decompensated heart failure is the leading admitting diagnosis in patients 65 years and older with more than 1 million hospitalizations per year in the US alone. Traditional tools to evaluate for and monitor volume status in patients with heart failure, including symptoms and physical exam findings, are known to have limited accuracy. In contrast, point of care lung ultrasound is a practical and evidenced-based tool for monitoring of volume status in patients with heart failure.

Concurrent detection of targeted copy number variants and mutations using a myeloid malignancy next generation sequencing panel allows comprehensive genetic analysis using a single testing strategy.

Currently, comprehensive genetic testing of myeloid malignancies requires multiple testing strategies with high costs. Somatic mutations can be detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) but copy number variants (CNVs) require cytogenetic methods including karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybidization and microarray. Here, we evaluated a new method for CNV detection using read depth data derived from a targeted NGS mutation panel.

SLLISWD sequence in the 10FNIII domain initiates fibronectin fibrillogenesis.

Fibronectin (FN) assembly into extracellular matrix is tightly regulated and essential to embryogenesis and wound healing. FN fibrillogenesis is initiated by cytoskeleton-derived tensional forces transmitted across transmembrane integrins onto RGD binding sequences within the tenth FN type III (10FNIII) domains. These forces unfold 10FNIII to expose cryptic FN assembly sites; however, a specific sequence has not been identified in 10FNIII.

Control of lung vascular permeability and endotoxin-induced pulmonary oedema by changes in extracellular matrix mechanics.

Increased vascular permeability contributes to many diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, cancer and inflammation. Most past work on vascular barrier function has focused on soluble regulators, such as tumour-necrosis factor-α. Here we show that lung vascular permeability is controlled mechanically by changes in extracellular matrix structure.

Fibronectin unfolding revisited: modeling cell traction-mediated unfolding of the tenth type-III repeat.

Fibronectin polymerization is essential for the development and repair of the extracellular matrix. Consequently, deciphering the mechanism of fibronectin fibril formation is of immense interest. Fibronectin fibrillogenesis is driven by cell-traction forces that mechanically unfold particular modules within fibronectin.

Rational design of memory in eukaryotic cells.

The ability to logically engineer novel cellular functions promises a deeper understanding of biological systems. Here we demonstrate the rational design of cellular memory in yeast that employs autoregulatory transcriptional positive feedback. We built a set of transcriptional activators and quantitatively characterized their effects on gene expression in living cells.

Feasibility and safety of airway bypass stent placement and influence of topical mitomycin C on stent patency.

Objective: Airway bypass via transbronchial fenestration has been shown to improve forced expiratory volume and flow in explanted human emphysematous lungs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of in vivo airway bypass stent placement by using a canine model and to assess the influence of topical mitomycin C on the prolongation of stent patency.

Methods: With dogs under general anesthesia, suitable segmental and subsegmental bronchial wall sites were selected by direct visualization with a flexible bronchoscope.