NMR chemical shift assignments of RNA oligonucleotides to expand the RNA chemical shift database.

RNAs play myriad functional and regulatory roles in the cell. Despite their significance, three-dimensional structure elucidation of RNA molecules lags significantly behind that of proteins. NMR-based studies are often rate-limited by the assignment of chemical shifts.

Upregulation of miR-221 and -222 in response to increased extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 activity exacerbates neointimal hyperplasia in diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: Diabetes is associated with accelerated arterial intimal thickening that contributes to the increased cardiovascular disease seen in this population. In healthy arteries, intimal thickening is inhibited by elevated levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27, and intimal thickening is promoted by activation of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin to promote degradation of p27 protein. Recently, we reported that two microRNAs, miR-221 and -222, which promote intimal thickening via down-regulation of mRNA encoding p27, are elevated in the arteries of diabetic patients.

Pooled Open Blocks Shorten Wait Times for Nonelective Surgical Cases.

Objective: Assess the impact of the implementation of a data-driven scheduling strategy that aimed to improve the access to care of nonelective surgical patients at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

Background: Between July 2009 and June 2010, MGH experienced increasing throughput challenges in its perioperative environment: approximately 30% of the nonelective patients were waiting more than the prescribed amount of time to get to surgery, hampering access to care and aggravating the lack of inpatient beds.

Methods: This work describes the design and implementation of an "open block" strategy: operating room (OR) blocks were reserved for nonelective patients during regular working hours (prime time) and their management centralized.

Hyperuniformity in amorphous silicon based on the measurement of the infinite-wavelength limit of the structure factor.

We report the results of highly sensitive transmission X-ray scattering measurements performed at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, on nearly fully dense high-purity amorphous-silicon (a-Si) samples for the purpose of determining their degree of hyperuniformity. A perfectly hyperuniform structure has complete suppression of infinite-wavelength density fluctuations, or, equivalently, the structure factor S(q→0) = 0; the smaller the value of S(0), the higher the degree of hyperuniformity. Annealing was observed to increase the degree of hyperuniformity in a-Si where we found S(0) = 0.

Elevation of miR-221 and -222 in the internal mammary arteries of diabetic subjects and normalization with metformin.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with increased intimal thickening and accelerated vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. We measured the expression of two microRNAs that promote intimal thickening, miR-221/222, and mRNA encoding a downstream target, p27(Kip1), in internal mammary artery (IMA) segments collected from 37 subjects undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The segments were stratified into three groups: non-diabetic subjects (ND), diabetic subjects not on metformin (DMMet-), and diabetic subjects on metformin (DMMet+).

Elevated serum bone morphogenetic protein 4 in patients with chronic kidney disease and coronary artery disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary artery calcification. We hypothesized that the osteogenic factor, bone morphogenetic protein-4 (sBMP-4), is elevated in subjects with both CKD and CAD. Serum was collected from 79 subjects undergoing diagnostic angiography and stratified according to CAD and CKD status.

Loss of canonical insulin signaling accelerates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration through changes in p27Kip1 regulation.

Insulin resistance is associated with an accelerated rate of atherosclerosis. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation are important components of atherosclerosis. To elucidate the effects of the loss of normal insulin receptor (IR) signaling on VSMC function, we compared the proliferation and migration of murine VSMCs lacking the IR (L2-VSMCs) with wild type (WT-VSMCs).

Rapamycin regulates endothelial cell migration through regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1.

Rapamycin is a macrolide antibiotic that inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration and that is used clinically on drug-eluting stents to inhibit in-stent restenosis. Although inhibition of cell migration is an asset in preventing restenosis, it also leads to impaired stent endothelialization, a significant limitation of current drug-eluting stent technology that necessitates prolonged antiplatelet therapy. We measured the ability of rapamycin to inhibit the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) toward the chemoattractant vascular endothelial cell growth factor.

From average to local structure: a Rietveld and an atomic pair distribution function (PDF) study of selenium clusters in zeolite-NdY.

The structure of Se particles in the approximately 13 A diameter alpha-cages of zeolite NdY has been determined by Rietveld refinement and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of X-ray data. With the diffuse scattering subtracted an average structure comprised of an undistorted framework containing nanoclusters of 20 Se atoms is observed. The intracluster correlations and the cluster-framework correlations which give rise to diffuse scattering were modeled by using PDF analysis.

Antibacterial activities of a fosfomycin/tobramycin combination: a novel inhaled antibiotic for bronchiectasis.

Objectives: To compare the in vitro and in vivo activities of a 4:1 (w/w) fosfomycin/tobramycin combination (FTI) with those of fosfomycin and tobramycin alone against cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis pathogens.

Methods: Clinical isolates of CF Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Burkholderia cepacia complex, Escherichia coli and Klebsiellia spp. were evaluated by MIC, MBC, post-antibiotic effect (PAE), synergy, time-kill, a rat pneumonia model and spontaneous mutation frequency (SMF).

Sera from patients with diabetes do not alter the effect of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition on smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Clinical studies of drug-eluting stents delivering the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, rapamycin (Sirolimus), have demonstrated a reduced efficacy for these devices in patients with diabetes, which suggests that the mTOR pathway may cease to be dominant in mediating the vascular response to injury under diabetic conditions. We hypothesized that changes in serum composition accompanying diabetes may reduce the role of mTOR in mediating the vascular response to injury. We measured the ability of a median dose of rapamycin (10 nM) to inhibit the proliferation of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (huCASMCs) stimulated with serum obtained from donors with diabetes (n = 14) and without diabetes (n = 16).

Isolation of endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells from internal mammary artery tissue.

Analyses of vascular smooth muscle cell and endothelial cell function through tissue culture techniques are often employed to investigate the underlying mechanisms regulating cardiovascular disease. As diseases such as diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease increase a patient's risk of cardiovascular disease, the development of methods for examining the effects of these diseases on vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells is needed. Commercial sources of endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells generally provide minimal donor information and are in limited supply.

Structural properties of molten dilute aluminium-transition metal alloys.

The short-range order in liquid binary Al-rich alloys (Al-Fe, Al-Ti) was studied by x-ray diffraction. The measurements were performed using a novel containerless technique which combines aerodynamic levitation with inductive heating. The average structure factors, S(Q), have been determined for various temperatures and compositions in the stable liquid state.

SSRIs and cognitive performance in a working sample.

Background: Studies of the impact of antidepressant use on cognitive performance have frequently been carried out among the elderly or on healthy volunteers. Comparatively little research has considered their impact on a relatively young, working population, particularly within the context of everyday life.

Aims: To examine any association between SSRI use and cognitive performance, mood and human error at work.

A community based investigation of the association between cannabis use, injuries and accidents.

There are well documented acute and chronic effects of cannabis use. However, less is known about any effects on safety within the context of work and everyday life. The aim of the study was to examine any association between cannabis use and injuries and accidents.

Cannabis use, cognitive performance and mood in a sample of workers.

There are well documented acute and chronic effects of cannabis use on mental functioning. However, less is known about any effects on cognition within the context of work and everyday life. The aim of the study was to examine any association between cannabis use and cognitive performance, mood and human error at work.

Morphological instability in InAs/GaSb superlattices due to interfacial bonds.

Synchrotron x-ray diffraction is used to compare the misfit strain and composition in a self-organized nanowire array in an InAs/GaSb superlattice with InSb interfacial bonds to a planar InAs/GaSb superlattice with GaAs interfacial bonds. It is found that the morphological instability that occurs in the nanowire array results from the large misfit strain that the InSb interfacial bonds have in the nanowire array. Based on this result, we propose that tailoring the type of interfacial bonds during the epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductor films provides a novel approach for producing the technologically important morphological instability in anomalously thin layers.

Psychotropic medication use and accidents, injuries and cognitive failures.

Background: Psychotropic medication has the potential to impair psychomotor and cognitive function, and several medications have well documented links to increased accident and injury susceptibility. Those developed more recently have many fewer side effects. However, there is little work examining any association between psychotropic medication use and safety within the context of other demographic, health and lifestyle factors.

Minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents at work: incidence and associated features.

Background: There is a dearth of information examining minor injuries and cognitive failures in the workplace.

Aims: This study aims to describe the incidence of, and characteristics associated with, minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents in the workplace.

Methods: The study was a community based postal questionnaire survey of people selected at random from the Electoral Registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil; 7980 questionnaires were returned.

Four-unit-cell superstructure in the optimally doped YBa2Cu3O6.92 superconductor.

Diffuse x-ray scattering measurements reveal that the optimally doped YBa2Cu3O6.92 superconductor is intrinsically modulated due to the formation of a kinetically limited 4-unit-cell superlattice, q(0)=(1/4, 0, 0), along the shorter Cu-Cu bonds. The superlattice consists of large anisotropic displacements of Cu, Ba, and O atoms, respectively, which are correlated over approximately 3-6 unit cells in the ab plane, and appears to be consistent with the presence of an O-ordered "ortho-IV" phase.

Factors associated with recreational drug use.

This study aimed to examine demographic, lifestyle, mental health and personality factors associated with illicit recreational drug use, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Illicit drug use was associated with risk taking, neuroticism, being male, having a higher education qualification, not being married, being unemployed, being aged under 25 years, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and living in Cardiff.

Recreational drug use: patterns from a South Wales self-report survey.

This study aimed to examine patterns of illicit recreational drug use, alcohol consumption, and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Twelve percent of respondents reported illicit recreational drug use in the last year, and 7% in the last month.

Preliminary investigation of the association between psychotropic medication use and accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures.

Rationale: Psychotropic medication may impair psychomotor and cognitive function, and so increase accident susceptibility. However, few studies examine any association in the framework of other demographic, health and occupational factors.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between sleeping tablets and antidepressants, and accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures.

Layer ordering and faulting in (GaAs)n/(AlAs)n ultrashort-period superlattices.

We report studies of (GaAs)(n)/(AlAs)(n) ultrashort-period superlattices using synchrotron x-ray scattering. In particular, we demonstrate that interfaces of these superlattices contain features on two different length scales: namely, random atomic mixture and ordered mesoscopic domains. Both features are asymmetric on the two interfaces (AlAs-on-GaAs and GaAs-on-AlAs) for n>2.

The Bristol Stress and Health Study: accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures at work.

Background: Accidents and injuries at work account for several million working days lost each year. Cognitive failures (problems of memory, attention or action) can lead to accidents and injuries in certain contexts.

Aim: This work describes the prevalence and associations of workplace accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures reported by respondents to a follow-up postal questionnaire as part of the community-based Bristol Stress and Health Study.