Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gammaretroviral Vectors: Biology, Technology and Application

Retroviruses are evolutionary optimized gene carriers that have naturally adapted to their hosts to efficiently deliver their nucleic acids into the target cell chromatin, thereby overcoming natural cellular barriers. Here we will review—starting with a deeper look into retroviral biology—how Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV), a simple gammaretrovirus, can be converted into an efficient vehicle of genetic therapeutics. Furthermore, we will describe how more rational vector backbones can be designed and how these so-called self-inactivating vectors can be pseudotyped and produced. Finally, we will provide an overview on existing clinical trials and how biosafety can be improved.
IMAGING DIAGNOSIS AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OF GID ( COENUROSIS ) IN GOATS

Gid (Coenurosis) is a disease of the central nervous system in Goats, caused by Coenuruscerebralis, the larval stage of Taenia multiceps, a tapeworm, which infests the small intestine of carnivores. In 80–90% of cases, the cyst is located in one cerebral hemisphere, whilst in 5–10% of cases, it is localised in the cerebellum; rarely it involves two sites in the brain of the affected animal. Diagnosis of gid was by history, clinical signs and IITV examination. Treatment was based on surgical removal of the coenurus cyst under general anaesthesia of the animal, the approach had a very good success rate, especially after accurate localisation of the lesion.
Micro-bend-Resistant Low-Differential-Mode-Group-Delay Few-Mode Fibers

We report the design of micro-bend-resistant low-differential-mode-group-delay (low-DMGD) few-mode fibers that support up to six mode groups (12 LP modes, 21 spatial modes) and that are adapted to multiple-input multiple-output mode-division-multiplexed transmissions. Compared to previous designs, the micro-bending sensitivity is reduced by more than a tenfold factor with acceptable impacts on attenuation, effective area, and DMGD for 2, 3, and 4 mode groups, but with some degradation for five and six mode groups. These fibers also exhibit low coupling between their mode groups, which is beneficial for DMGD compensation and multiple-input multiple-output processing. Based on these designs, we fabricate and characterize a 4-mode-group (6-LP-mode, 10-spatial-mode) fiber with a micro-bending sensitivity reduced by a factor up to 20 compared to previous realizations. This sensitivity is even lower than that of typical standard single-mode fibers, which should allow the deployment in most telecommunication networks without significant induced losses. A DMGD-compensated link with values ≤72 ps/km is also realized. Finally, we show that previous fibers with 5 and 6 mode groups already have low micro-bending sensitivities, which should prevent from using micro-bend-resistant designs which, in these cases, can degrade the attenuation, effective area and DMGD.
The relationship between organizational justice and workplace aggression.

AIM This paper is a discussion of the links between organizational justice and workplace aggression. BACKGROUND Managers have been identified as key players in implementing and maintaining an organizational culture of trust and justice. Employees who perceive themselves to be victims of injustice may rebel, using various means to 'punish' the source of the injustice. DATA SOURCES Literature review of publications in English and French from the early 1960 to 2009, including books, was conducted. Bibliographic databases searched for journal articles were Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Current Content, EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science. DISCUSSION The work environment and roles of nursing managers have changed considerably in the last 20 years, resulting in challenging working conditions for nursing managers. These can have an impact on their ability to create a trusting and fair culture, and can mean that they themselves be considered victims of organizational injustice. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING The failure of many re-engineering projects has been linked to a lack of consideration of the impact of perception of justice when implementing change. In addition, perception of organizational justice has the potential to influence many organizational outcomes, such as perception of respect and trust. As justice is a founding principle of biomedical ethics, principles of justice, equity and fairness must be upheld in practice in accordance with the requirements of professional codes of ethics. CONCLUSION The concept of justice is linked to the founding principles of biomedical ethics, and these must be upheld in order to practise in accordance with professional codes of ethics and conduct.
Older Women, Younger Men: Self and Stigma in Age-Discrepant Relationships

This study, based on intensive interviews with married, cohabiting and divorced older women and younger men, explores the impact of this type of age discrepancy on relationships and selves. Both the women and the men were aware of the stigmatizing potential of their relationships, in particular that the woman might be mistaken for the man's mother (which indeed sometimes happened). Although the couples' fear of audience response lessened over time, the impact of stigma on their sense of self remained. For the woman, her embodied self—body and face—was most problematic, and increasingly so as she aged. For the man, it was the cohort self: his lack of shared history with his wife, distance from his age peers, and precipitation into other age-discrepant roles, such as grandfather. Both men and women developed techniques of neutralization to counter stigma, techniques which were challenged only under conditions of divorce or marital problems and clinical intervention. This paper is concerned with the meaning of age-discrepant relationships between older women and younger men, and with the reflexive relationship between cultural and clinical interpretations of age discrepancy. The cultural background for the assessment of age discrepancy in intimate relationships is the clear cultural preference for youthfulness over agedness, taken for granted by all the interviewees in this
Antimicrobial Activity of B-Lock against Bacterial and Candida spp. Causing Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

ABSTRACT The triple combination trimethoprim, EDTA, and ethanol (B-Lock), is an antimicrobial lock solution for use in indwelling intravascular catheters to prevent and treat catheter-associated infections. B-Lock demonstrated MICs of ≤0.05% (percentage of solution) against Candida spp. (n = 125) and 0.003% to 25% against bacterial strains (n = 175). B-Lock was also fungicidal against the majority of the Candida strains at 6% to 25%. B-Lock demonstrates potential value for the prevention and treatment of catheter-associated infections.
ReviewCutaneous manifestations due to Pseudomonas infection

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a Gram-negative bacillus capable of producing infections, which mainly affect patients with immunosuppression, and usually occur in a hospital environment. PA can produce infections in many different organs, including the skin and soft tissue. The cutaneous manifestations of PA infection represent a wide spectrum of pathologic entities, ranging from minor skin lesions in healthy patients involving the external auditory canals, nails, and toeweb spaces to formidable skin signs of potentially life-threatening Pseudomonas septicemia in immunocompromised patients.1 PA infections have become more common. This increasing prevalence has been caused by a number of factors, including antimicrobial selection pressures, the wide use of immunosuppressive treatments, the higher survival rate of immunocompromised patients, endemic hospital reservoirs, invasive procedures that allow the organism to penetrate the host, and changes in lifestyle (saunas, jacuzzis, contact lenses, etc.). 2–4
Comprehensive molecular screening of the FBN1 gene favors locus homogeneity of classical Marfan syndrome

In order to estimate the contribution of mutations at the fibrillin‐1 locus (FBN1) to classical Marfan syndrome (MFS) and to study possible phenotypic differences between patients with an FBN1 mutation vs. without, a comprehensive molecular study of the FBN1 gene in a cohort of 93 MFS patients fulfilling the clinical diagnosis of MFS according to the Ghent nosology was performed. The initial mutation screening by CSGE/SSCP allowed identification of an FBN1‐mutation in 73 patients. Next, sequencing of all FBN1‐exons was performed in 11 mutation‐negative patients, while in nine others, DHPLC was used. This allowed identification of seven and five additional mutations, respectively. Southern blot analysis revealed an abnormal hybridization pattern in one more patient. A total of 23 out of the 85 mutations identified here are reported for the first time. Phenotypic comparison of MFS patients with cysteine‐involving mutations vs. premature termination mutations revealed significant differences in ocular and skeletal involvement. The phenotype of the eight patients without proven FBN1 mutation did not differ from the others with respect to the presence of major cardiac, ocular, and skeletal manifestations or positive familial history. Most likely, a portion of FBN1‐mutations remains undetected because of technical limitations. In conclusion, the involvement of the FBN1‐gene could be demonstrated in at least 91% of all MFS patients (85/93), which strongly suggests that this gene is the predominant, if not the sole, locus for MFS. Hum Mutat 24:140–146, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Linear Programming Embedded Genetic Algorithm for an Integrated Dynamic Cell Formation and Lot Sizing Considering Product Quality

Production lot sizing models are often used to decide the best lot size to minimize operation cost, inventory cost, and setup cost. Cellular manufacturing analyses mainly address how machines should be grouped and parts be produced. In this paper, a mathematical programming model is developed following an integrated approach for cell configuration and lot sizing in a dynamic manufacturing environment. The model development also considers the impact of lot sizes on product quality. Solution of the mathematical model is to minimize both production and quality related costs. The proposed model, with nonlinear terms and integer variables, cannot be solved for real size problems efficiently due to its NP-complexity. To solve the model for practical purposes, a linear programming embedded genetic algorithm was developed. The algorithm searches over the integer variables and for each integer solution visited the corresponding values of the continuous variables are determined by solving a linear programming subproblem using the simplex algorithm. Numerical examples showed that the proposed method is efficient and effective in searching for near optimal solutions.
Decreased Average Power of the Hip External Muscles as a Predictive Parameter for Lower Extremity Injury in Women: A Prospective Study

Objective: To prospectively identify hip strength associated risk factors contributing to the development of lower extremity (LE) injury. Design: Data were prospectively collected on healthy female physical education students. Setting: This study was conducted in the institution of the University of Ghent. Participants: Eighty-nine female physical education students aged 19.53 ± 1.07 years. Assessment of Risk Factors: Testing included isokinetic hip strength measurements of abductors, adductors, internal rotators, and external rotators (ERs). Main Outcome Measures: Follow-up of the participants was assessed using a weekly online questionnaire and a 3-month retrospective control questionnaire. Lower extremity injury was diagnosed by an experienced medical doctor. Cox regression was used to identify the potential risk factors for the development of an LE injury. Results: Thirty-four participants were diagnosed with an LE injury during follow-up. This study identified that decreased average power (AP) (P = 0.031) on concentric ER strength was found to be a significant risk factor for LE injury. No other hip strength parameters were found to be significant contributors to the development of LE injury. Conclusions: Decreased AP of the hip ER muscles was identified as a significant predictor for LE injury, whereas no hip abduction weakness or peak torque parameters were found to be predictive. Because controlling LE extremity movements is an important function of the hip muscles, they might be more challenged in a dynamic measure such as AP than in a point measure such as peak torque. Concentric AP of hip ER muscles can therefore be seen as an interesting factor to include in LE injury screening protocols.
The Twin Arginine Translocation System Is Essential for Virulence of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

ABSTRACT Yersinia species pathogenic to humans have been extensively characterized with respect to type III secretion and its essential role in virulence. This study concerns the twin arginine translocation (Tat) pathway utilized by gram-negative bacteria to secrete folded proteins across the bacterial inner membrane into the periplasmic compartment. We have shown that the Yersinia Tat system is functional and required for motility and contributes to acid resistance. A Yersinia pseudotuberculosis mutant strain with a disrupted Tat system (tatC) was, however, not affected in in vitro growth or more susceptible to high osmolarity, oxidative stress, or high temperature, nor was it impaired in type III secretion. Interestingly, the tatC mutant was severely attenuated via both the oral and intraperitoneal routes in the systemic mouse infection model and highly impaired in colonization of lymphoid organs like Peyer's patches and the spleen. Our work highlights that Tat secretion plays a key role in the virulence of Y. pseudotuberculosis.
3 The Economic Impact of Bariatric Surgery

It is estimated that 5.7% of American adults, or approximately 14.5 million people, are morbidly obese, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of >40 kg/m2 and thus are eligible for bariatric surgery. (Flegal et al. 2010) If in one year, only 10% of these morbidly obese patients (approximately 1.45 Million) would undergo bariatric surgery, with an average expenditure of approximately $20,000, this would result in a total cost of US$ 29 billion. This amount is equivalent to about 1% of the total healthcare expenditure in the USA. (National Health Expenditure Data 2011) This estimate most likely underestimates the potential cost because the obesity epidemic is still growing in the USA, which has an obesity rate of over 30%. (Aasheim and Søvik 2011; Finucane et al. 2011; Flegal et al. 2010; Shao and Chin 2011) Because of the potentially significant impact on overall healthcare expenditures, policy makers and payers are very careful to allow free access to bariatric surgery for all severely or morbidly obese patients. In addition to appraising the impact on the future health status of morbidly obese patients, payers and decision makers want to be able to estimate the impact of bariatric surgery on their budgets and resources as well as to understand the potential return on such an investment. To determine the most recent knowledge on the economic consequences relating to bariatric surgery for payers in different healthcare settings, a literature review of economic or outcome publications was conducted and is summarized in this book chapter.
Immunosuppressive effects of Centipeda periodontii: selective cytotoxicity for lymphocytes and monocytes

We have examined soluble sonic extracts prepared from several strains of Centipeda periodontii for their ability to alter human lymphocyte function. These organisms were isolated from subgingival plaque of patients with periodontal disease. We found that sonicates from several, but not all, strains of C. periodontii caused a dose-dependent inhibition of lymphocyte responsiveness to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, and formalinized Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition was associated with a concomitant decrease in cell viability assessed by trypan blue exclusion, 51Cr release, and electron microscopy. The maximal number of dead cells was observed 20 to 24 h after exposure to the sonic extract. Susceptible cells include human lymphocytes (both B and T), monocytes, and erythrocytes, whereas polymorphonuclear cells, murine L-929 fibroblasts, and sheep erythrocytes were not affected. Preliminary characterization of the cytotoxic activity indicates that it is heat labile and trypsin sensitive and has an Mr of 60,000. It has been proposed that impaired host defense may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. The data presented in this paper suggest that immunosuppression (local or systemic or both) could be initiated by C. periodontii. This immunosuppression may alter the nature and consequences of host-parasite interactions, thereby enhancing the pathogenicity of C. periodontii itself or some other opportunistic organism.
COMMON LOWER LEG OVERUSE INJURIES IN RUNNERS 2 . 5 CE HOURS CONTINUING EDUCATION for Physical Therapists Course

Course Abstract Despite its popularity and positive impact on health, running comes with a host of associated injuries which may treated by physical therapists. This course focuses on recognizing and rehabilitating overuse injuries commonly experienced by runners of both sexes, of all ages, and of all levels of running experience. NOTE: Links provided within the course material are for informational purposes only. No endorsement of processes or products is intended or implied.
Diagnostic utility of stimulated single‐fiber electromyography of the orbicularis oculi muscle in patients with suspected ocular myasthenia

Stimulated single‐fiber electromyography (SSFEMG) is a valuable diagnostic tool in cases of myasthenia gravis with limited disease. From 1990 to 2008 SSFEMG in the orbicularis oculi muscle (OO) was performed in a cohort of 456 patients referred with clinical suspicion of myasthenia gravis (MG) and exclusively ocular symptoms. A diagnosis of MG was made on clinical grounds in 103 patients. In this patient cohort, the specificity of SSFEMG for myasthenia was 97%, and the sensitivity was 80%. MG patients with a normal SSFEMG had a benign clinical course. This study confirms a high specificity and sensitivity of SSFEMG when it is performed on patients suspected to have ocular MG. In such patients, a normal SSFEMG of the OO predicts a benign clinical course. Muscle Nerve 43: 168–170, 2011
Ecological Stoichiometry beyond Redfield: An Ionomic Perspective on Elemental Homeostasis

Elemental homeostasis has been largely characterized using three important elements that were part of the Redfield ratio (i.e., carbon: nitrogen: phosphorus). These efforts have revealed substantial diversity in homeostasis among taxonomic groups and even within populations. Understanding the evolutionary basis, and ecological consequences of such diversity is a central challenge. Here, we propose that a more complete understanding of homeostasis necessitates the consideration of other elements beyond C, N, and P. Specifically, we posit that physiological complexity underlying maintenance of elemental homeostasis along a single elemental axis impacts processing of other elements, thus altering elemental homeostasis along other axes. Indeed, transcriptomic studies in a wide variety of organisms have found that individuals differentially express significant proportions of the genome in response to variability in supply stoichiometry in order to maintain varying levels of homeostasis. We review the literature from the emergent field of ionomics that has established the consequences of such physiological trade-offs on the content of the entire suite of elements in an individual. Further, we present experimental data on bacteria exhibiting divergent phosphorus homeostasis phenotypes demonstrating the fundamental interconnectedness among elemental quotas. These observations suggest that physiological adjustments can lead to unexpected patterns in biomass stoichiometry, such as correlated changes among suites of non-limiting microelements in response to limitation by macroelements. Including the entire suite of elements that comprise biomass will foster improved quantitative understanding of the links between chemical cycles and the physiology of organisms.
Reduced local recurrence of a single brain metastasis through microscopic total resection.

OBJECT The goal of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic impact of the resection of metastatic brain tumor cells infiltrating adjacent brain parenchyma. METHODS Between July 2001 and February 2007, 94 patients (67 males and 27 females, with a mean age of 55.0 +/-12.0 years) underwent resection of a single brain metastasis, followed by systemic chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. In 43 patients with tumors located in noneloquent areas, the authors performed microscopic total resections (MTRs) that included tumor cells infiltrating adjacent brain parenchyma, and they pathologically confirmed during surgery that the resection margins were free of tumor cells (MTR group). In 51 patients with lesions in eloquent locations, gross-total resections (GTRs) were performed without the removal of neighboring brain parenchyma (GTR group). The 2 groups were then compared for local recurrence and survival. RESULTS The MTR group had better local control of the tumor than did the GTR group; 10 (23.3%) of 43 patients in the MTR group and 22 (43.1%) of 51 patients in the GTR group had a local recurrence (p = 0.04). The median time to tumor progression in the MTR group could not be calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, whereas it was 11.4 months in the GTR group. The 1- and 2-year respective local recurrence rates were 29.1 and 29.1% in the MTR group and 58.6 and 63.2% in the GTR group (p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that the MTR procedure was associated with a decreased risk of local recurrence (p = 0.003). A Cox regression analysis revealed that the hazard ratio for a local recurrence in the MTR group versus the GTR group was 3.14 (95% CI 1.47-6.72, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in the local recurrence rate between the MTR group without radiotherapy (10 [30.3%] of 33) and the GTR group with postoperative radiotherapy (5 [26.3%] of 19). CONCLUSIONS The results in this study suggest that MTRs including tumor cells infiltrating adjacent brain parenchyma for a single brain metastasis provide better local tumor control.
Impaired IGF1R signaling in cells expressing longevity‐associated human IGF1R alleles

Dampening of insulin/insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF1) signaling results in the extension of lifespan in invertebrate as well as murine models. The impact of this evolutionarily conserved pathway on the modulation of human lifespan remains unclear. We previously identified two IGF1R mutations (Ala‐37‐Thr and Arg‐407‐His) that are enriched in Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians as compared to younger controls and are associated with the reduced activity of the IGF1 receptor as measured in immortalized lymphocytes. To determine whether these human longevity‐associated IGF1R mutations affect IGF1 signaling, we engineered mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) expressing the different human IGF1R variants in a mouse Igf1r null background. The results indicate that MEFs expressing the human longevity‐associated IGF1R mutations attenuated IGF1 signaling, as demonstrated by significant reduction in phosphorylation of both IGF1R and AKT after IGF1 treatment, in comparison with MEFs expressing the wild‐type IGF1R. The impaired IGF1 signaling caused by the IGF1R mutations resulted in the reduced induction of the major IGF1‐activated genes in MEFs, including EGR1, mCSF, IL3Rα, and TDAG51. Furthermore, the IGF1R mutations caused a delay in cell cycle progression after IGF1 treatment, indicating a dysfunctional physiological response to a cell proliferation signal. These results demonstrate that the human longevity‐associated IGF1R variants are reduced‐function mutations, implying that dampening of IGF1 signaling may be a longevity mechanism in humans.