Moloney murine leukemia virus glyco-gag facilitates xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus replication through human APOBEC3-independent mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: One of the unique features of gammaretroviruses is that they contain an additional extended form of Gag, glyco-gag, which initiates in the leader sequence. MuLV glyco-gag, gPr80Gag, promotes retrovirus replication and disease progression. Although virtually all infectious MuLVs encode glyco-gag, XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) lacks the classical gPr80Gag sequence. We examined XMRV to determine if its leader sequence contains glyco-gag activity, whether the presence of conventional gPr80Gag affects replication of XMRV, and we describe the evolution of glyco-gag-deficient MuLVs in Mus. RESULTS: We introduced several mutations disrupting two putative but noncanonical glyco-gag proteins in the leader sequence region in XMRV and found that those mutations did not affect virus release nor susceptibility to the antiviral activity of hA3G (human APOBEC3G). A chimeric XMRV encoding the Moloney MuLV (M-MuLV) leader sequence (MXMRV) demonstrated that M-MuLV glyco-gag facilitated MXMRV release and increased infectivity. Infectivity assays with several cell lines showed that glyco-gag increases XMRV infectivity in all cell lines tested, but the level of this increase varies in different cell lines. Because MuLV glyco-gag counteracts mouse APOBEC3, we investigated whether M-MuLV glyco-gag enhances XMRV infection by counteracting human APOBEC3. Comparison of hAPOBEC3 isoforms expressed in different cell lines indicated that hA3B was the most likely candidate for a restrictive hA3. However over-expression of hA3B showed no enhanced restriction of infection by XMRV compared to MXMRV. Endogenous MuLVs in the sequenced mouse genome were screened for canonical glyco-gag, which was identified in two clades of xenotropic MuLVs (X-MuLVs) and ecotropic MuLVs, but not in other X-MuLVs or in any polytropic MuLVs. CONCLUSIONS: M-MuLV glyco-gag facilitates XMRV replication, and the leader sequence region in XMRV does not encode proteins equivalent to M-MuLV glyco-gag. The fact that the ability of glyco-gag to enhance XMRV infection varies in different cell lines suggests a glyco-gag sensitive restrictive factor that further reduces XMRV infectivity. The M-MuLV glyco-gag enhancement for XMRV replication is through a hAPOBEC3 independent mechanism. The absence of glyco-gag in MuLVs carried by western European mice suggests that loss of this sequence is a relatively recent event with limited subspecies distribution.

Satisfaction of patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension with care offered in family medicine clinics in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the satisfaction and the factors related to dissatisfaction in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension with care offered in family medicine clinics. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A secondary data analysis was conducted. Main outcome measures were two indices of satisfaction: family doctor-patient relationship (FDPR) and clinic organizational arrangements (OA). RESULTS: Approximately half of patients (n=1 323) were satisfied with care. In the FDPR index the items 'kindness of the family doctor' (FD) scored high, while the lowest score was for the items: 'the FD allows the patient to give an opinion about his/her treatment,' 'the patient understands the information' and 'the FD spends enough time on the consultation.' As for satisfaction with OA, the items 'cleanliness of the clinic' and 'ease of administrative procedures' obtained the lowest scores. In the logistic regression analysis the covariate 'negative self-rated health' and 'type of institution' were associated with dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: There are aspects of the FDPR and OA that reveal dissatisfaction of patients with chronic conditions.

A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Phallangothelphusa Pretzmann, 1965, from the foothills of the Serranía Yariguíes of Colombia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pseudothelphusidae).

A new species of Phallangothelphusa Pretzmann, 1965, is described from the foothills of the Serranía Yariguíes, Santander Department, Magdalena river basin, Colombia. The number of the species increases to five: P. dispar (Zimmer, 1912), P. magdalenensis Campos, 1998, P. juansei Campos, 2010, P. martensis Cardona Campos, 2012, and P. tangerina n. sp. The new species is distinguished from its congeners mainly by the morphology of the first male gonopod, particularly by the shapes of the mesial and lateral processes, and the surface and outline form of the apex.

The saga of XMRV: a virus that infects human cells but is not a human virus.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was discovered in 2006 in a search for a viral etiology of human prostate cancer (PC). Substantial interest in XMRV as a potentially new pathogenic human retrovirus was driven by reports that XMRV could be detected in a significant percentage of PC samples, and also in tissues from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). After considerable controversy, etiologic links between XMRV and these two diseases were disproven. XMRV was determined to have arisen during passage of a human PC tumor in immunocompromised nude mice, by activation and recombination between two endogenous murine leukemia viruses from cells of the mouse. The resulting XMRV had a xentropic host range, which allowed it replicate in the human tumor cells in the xenograft. This review describes the discovery of XMRV, and the molecular and virological events leading to its formation, XMRV infection in animal models and biological effects on infected cells. Lessons from XMRV for other searches of viral etiologies of cancer are discussed, as well as cautions for researchers working on human tumors or cell lines that have been passed through nude mice, includingpotential biohazards associated with XMRV or other similar xenotropic murine leukemia viruses (MLVs).

[Comprehensive diabetic and hypertensive patient care involving nurses working in family practice]. / Atención integral de pacientes diabéticos e hipertensos con participación de enfermeras en medicina familiar.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of involving primary care nurses in comprehensive care of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II (DM2). METHODS: A quasi-experimental, before-and-after study was conducted, without a control group, in eight family-practice clinics. Trained nurses offered comprehensive care in conjunction with a team made up of a family doctor, a nutritionist, a social worker, and a dentist. The intervention lasted seven months and its outcome variables were changes in body mass index, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, self-perceived health status, treatment compliance, and emergency services requests. Any change was determined by comparing the baseline to the final measurement through interviews and recording the variables of interest in a spreadsheet. RESULTS: In all, 1 131 patients completed the follow-up, of which 44.9% were diagnosed with hypertension, 27% with DM2, and 28.1% with both conditions. The proportion of patients seen by the coordinated health teams increased; there was a rise in cases of normal weight and overweight; a decrease in the proportion of obese (P < 0.05); and an increase in hypertensives with high blood pressure (< 130/ 80mmHg) (P < 0.05). There was no change in the proportion of diabetics with high blood glucose (< 140 mg/dl); 18.2% reported improved self-perceived health status (P < 0.05); there was improved treatment compliance (P < 0.05); and a decrease in requests for emergency services at the clinics (-4.5%) and at the hospitals (-6.8%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive care for chronically ill patients through the involvement of nurses contributes to improved health outcomes in primary care.

Atención integral de pacientes diabéticos e hipertensos con participación de enfermeras en medicina familiar / Comprehensive diabetic and hypertensive patient care involving nurses working in family practice

OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la efectividad de la participación de enfermeras de atención primaria en la atención integral a pacientes con hipertensión arterial (HTA) y diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio cuasi-experimental antes-después, sin grupo control, en ocho clínicas de medicina familiar. Enfermeras capacitadas otorgaron atención integral en coordinación con un equipo formado por médico familiar, nutricionista, trabajadora social y estomatólogo. La intervención duró siete meses y utilizó como variables de resultado cambios en el índice de masa corporal, glucemia en ayunas, presión arterial, autopercepción del estado de salud, adherencia terapéutica y solicitud de servicios de urgencias. El cambio se determinó comparando la medición basal y final mediante entrevistas y registro de las variables de interés. RESULTADOS: 1 131 pacientes completaron el seguimiento, de los cuales 44,9 por ciento fue diagnosticado con HTA, 27 por ciento con DM2 y 28,1 por ciento con ambos padecimientos. La proporción de pacientes atendidos coordinadamente por el equipo de salud aumentó; se observó incremento de casos con peso normal y sobrepeso, reducción en la proporción de obesos (P < 0,05) y aumento de hipertensos con presión arterial < 130/80mmHg (P < 0,05). No se modificó la proporción de diabéticos con glucemia < 140 mg/dl; 18,2 por ciento notificó mejoría en la autopercepción del estado de salud (P < 0,05); hubo mejoría en la adherencia terapéutica (P < 0,05) y reducción de solicitud de atención a urgencias en las clínicas (-4,5 por ciento) y en los hospitales (-6,8 por ciento) (P < 0,05). CONCLUSIONES: La atención integral a pacientes con enfermedades crónicas mediante la participación de enfermeras contribuye a mejorar los resultados de salud en servicios de atención primaria.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of involving primary care nurses in comprehensive care of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II (DM2). METHODS: A quasi-experimental, before-and-after study was conducted, without a control group, in eight family-practice clinics. Trained nurses offered comprehensive care in conjunction with a team made up of a family doctor, a nutritionist, a social worker, and a dentist. The intervention lasted seven months and its outcome variables were changes in body mass index, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, self-perceived health status, treatment compliance, and emergency services requests. Any change was determined by comparing the baseline to the final measurement through interviews and recording the variables of interest in a spreadsheet. RESULTS: In all, 1 131 patients completed the follow-up, of which 44.9 percent were diagnosed with hypertension, 27 percent with DM2, and 28.1 percent with both conditions. The proportion of patients seen by the coordinated health teams increased; there was a rise in cases of normal weight and overweight; a decrease in the proportion of obese (P < 0.05); and an increase in hypertensives with high blood pressure (< 130/ 80mmHg) (P < 0.05). There was no change in the proportion of diabetics with high blood glucose (< 140 mg/dl); 18.2 percent reported improved self-perceived health status (P < 0.05); there was improved treatment compliance (P < 0.05); and a decrease in requests for emergency services at the clinics (-4.5 percent) and at the hospitals (-6.8 percent) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive care for chronically ill patients through the involvement of nurses contributes to improved health outcomes in primary care.

Satisfaction of patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension with care offered in family medicine clinics in Mexico / Satisfacción en pacientes con diabetes mellitus o hipertensión arterial atendidos en clínicas de medicina familiar en México

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the satisfaction and the factors related to dissatisfaction in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension with care offered in family medicine clinics. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A secondary data analysis was conducted. Main outcome measures were two indices of satisfaction: family doctor-patient relationship (FDPR) and clinic organizational arrangements (OA). RESULTS: Approximately half of patients (n=1 323) were satisfied with care. In the FDPR index the items "kindness of the family doctor" (FD) scored high, while the lowest score was for the items: "the FD allows the patient to give an opinion about his/her treatment," "the patient understands the information" and "the FD spends enough time on the consultation." As for satisfaction with OA, the items "cleanliness of the clinic" and "ease of administrative procedures" obtained the lowest scores. In the logistic regression analysis the covariate "negative self-rated health" and "type of institution" were associated with dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS:There are aspects of the FDPR and OA that reveal dissatisfaction of patients with chronic conditions.

OBJETIVO:Analizar la satisfacción y los factores relacionados con insatisfacción en pacientes con diabetes mellitus (DM) o hipertensión arterial (HTA) atendidos en clínicas de medicina familiar (MF). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS:Se realizó análisis secundario de datos. Las variables de resultado fueron dos índices de satisfacción: relación médico familiar-paciente (RMFP) y aspectos organizacionales (AO). RESULTADOS:Aproximadamente la mitad de los pacientes (n=1 323) estuvieron satisfechos. Para la RMFP, "la amabilidad del MF" obtuvo la mayor calificación, y la más baja fue para "el MF permite la opinión del paciente sobre los tratamientos", "comprensión de la información" y "tiempo que el MF dedica al paciente". Para satisfacción con AO, "la limpieza de la clínica" y "fácil solución de los trámites administrativos" calificaron más bajo. En la regresión múltiple, la "autopercepción negativa de la salud" y "tipo de la institución" fueron relacionados con insatisfacción. CONCLUSIÓN: Existen aspectos de RMFP y AO que provocan mayor insatisfacción en los pacientes crónicos y requieren mayor atención.