Biomedical subjects

M L Peck

Publications and source records attributed to M L Peck.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Effects of oligonucleotide length and atomic composition on stimulation of the ATPase activity of translation initiation factor elF4A.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A (elF4A) has been proposed to use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to remove RNA structure in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs, helping the 43S ribosomal complex bind to an mRNA and scan to find the 5'-most AUG initiator codon. We have examined the effect of changing the atomic composition and length of single-stranded oligonucleotides on binding to elF4A and on stimulation of its ATPase activity once bound. Substitution of 2'-OH groups with 2'-H or 2'-OCH3 groups reduces ATPase stimulation at least 100-fold, to background levels, without significantly affecting oligonucleotide affinity. These effects suggest that 2'-OH groups participate in an elF4A conformational change that occurs subsequent to oligonucleotide binding and is required for ATPase stimulation. Replacing nonbridging oxygen atoms in phosphodiester linkages with sulfur atoms to make phosphorothioate linkages has no significant effect on stimulation, while substantially increasing affinity. Extending the length of an RNA oligonucleotide from 4 to approximately 15 nt gradually increases oligonucleotide affinity and ATPase stimulation. Consistent with this observation, the increase in affinity and stimulation provided by phosphorothioate linkages and 2'-OH groups is proportional to the number of these groups present within larger oligonucleotides. Further, changing the position of blocks of phosphorothioate linkages or 2'-OH groups within a larger oligonucleotide does not affect affinity and has only a small effect on stimulation. These observations suggest that numerous interactions between the oligonucleotide and elF4A contribute individually to binding and ATPase stimulation. Nevertheless, significant stimulation is observed with as few as four RNA residues. These properties may allow elF4A to operate within regions of 5' UTRs containing only short stretches of exposed single-stranded RNA. As stimulation increases when longer stretches of single-stranded RNA are available, it is possible that the accessibility of single-stranded RNA in a 5' UTR influences translation efficiency.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1992

The future of nursing in a technological age: computers, robots, and TLC.

The computer has become a major tool in the medical treatment of disease. Computers can record vital signs, keep records, and provide central networks for interactive diagnosis. Individual medical histories can be contained in an optical card the size of a credit card. Advances in technology just over the horizon will permit an individual to consult a computer much as one now consults a physician for diagnosis, recommendations, instructions, and treatment. Surgery can be conducted in "virtual space," with the physician operating inside the body (via computer) as if he or she were present at the site of the surgery. Only a step beyond this is the development of robots who can do a better surgical job than a human being. What is missing from this scenario? Tender loving care. That is the nurse's job, and it is something that computers cannot do because it involves feelings and human communication that are beyond mere technology. Consequently, nurses will be needed long after physicians have passed into limbo. The practical lesson of this look into the future is that, although nurses certainly must remain in touch with the cutting edge of technology, their primary purpose will be to retain and sharpen the skills that Florence Nightingale introduced. Human response will never be replaced by technology, and the unchanging need for the nurses' caring function will assure their future.

Computers↗

PubMed1989

Student perceptions of the links between nursing and the liberal arts.

This article examines the extent to which nursing students are aware of the importance of liberal arts in their professional education. Based on a survey of nursing students and alumnae from a small, New York state college, the project further explored the channels through which they became aware of the significant links between these two aspects of their education. One finding is that nursing students give a relatively high weight to the importance of the liberal arts in their total learning process. The more important conclusion is that students, on the whole, believe that they have made the links between liberal arts and nursing themselves. To the extent that other agents help forge these links, the most important seem to be nursing labs and clinicals, other nursing students, and nursing texts and modules. Students perceive that nursing faculty help draw links more often than liberal arts faculty, but neither rank very high.

Adult↗

PubMed1987