Associations between HLA class II alleles and IgE sensitization to allergens in the Qatar Biobank cohort.

Background: Allergic disorders are the consequence of IgE sensitization to allergens. Population studies have shown that certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are associated with increased or decreased risk of developing allergy.

Objective: We aimed to characterize the relationship between HLA class II allelic diversity and IgE sensitization in an understudied Arab population.

Measuring Health Care Work-Related Contextual Factors: Development of the McGill Context Tool.

Introduction: Contextual factors can influence healthcare professionals' (HCPs) competencies, yet there is a scarcity of research on how to optimally measure these factors. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a comprehensive tool for HCPs to document the contextual factors likely to influence the maintenance, development, and deployment of professional competencies.

Methods: We used DeVellis' 8-step process for scale development and Messick's unified theory of validity to inform the development and validation of the context tool.

Exploration of the occupational and personal dimensions impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for nurses: A qualitative analysis of survey responses.

Aim: To explore the occupational and personal life dimensions that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical nurses (LPN).

Design: Qualitative interpretive description approach.

Methods: Between July and September 2020, a web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among RNs and LPNs in Quebec, Canada.

Effects of an educational intervention to strengthen humanistic practice on haemodialysis nurses' caring attitudes and behaviours and quality of working life: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Nurses are trained to establish a trusting relationship with patients to create an environment promoting patients' quality of life. However, in tech-heavy care settings, such as haemodialysis units, dehumanising practices may emerge and take root for various reasons to the potential detriment of both patients and nurses. For patients, this may lead to a deterioration of quality of life and, ultimately, of health status.

Upper limb disease evolution in exon 53 skipping eligible patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To understand the natural disease upper limb progression over 3 years of ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) using functional assessments and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to exploratively identify prognostic factors.

Methods: Forty boys with DMD (22 non-ambulatory and 18 ambulatory) with deletions in dystrophin that make them eligible for exon 53-skipping therapy were included. Clinical assessments, including Brooke score, motor function measure (MFM), hand grip and key pinch strength, and upper limb distal coordination and endurance (MoviPlate), were performed every 6 months and quantitative MRI of fat fraction (FF) and lean muscle cross sectional area (flexor and extensor muscles) were performed yearly.

Wideband tunable microwave signal generation in a silicon-micro-ring-based optoelectronic oscillator.

Si photonics has an immense potential for the development of compact and low-loss opto-electronic oscillators (OEO), with applications in radar and wireless communications. However, current Si OEO have shown a limited performance. Si OEO relying on direct conversion of intensity modulated signals into the microwave domain yield a limited tunability.

Normalized grip strength is a sensitive outcome measure through all stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: The main aim was to explore the changes in hand-grip strength in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) aged 5-29 years. Secondary aims were to test the effect of mutation, ambulatory status and glucocorticoid use on grip strength and its changes over time and to compute the number of subjects needed for a clinical trial to stabilize grip strength.

Methods: The analysis was performed on data collected during five international natural history studies on a cohort of DMD patients.

A comparative descriptive analysis of perceived quality of caring attitudes and behaviours between haemodialysis patients and their nurses.

Aim: Despite its importance in nursing, perceived quality of the nurse-patient relationship has seldom been researched. This study sought to examine and compare the quality of caring attitudes and behaviours as perceived by haemodialysis patients and their nurses.

Design: This comparative descriptive study involved 140 haemodialysis patients and 101 nurses caring for them in ten haemodialysis units in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

Effects on nurses' quality of working life and on patients' quality of life of an educational intervention to strengthen humanistic practice among hemodialysis nurses in Switzerland: a protocol for a mixed-methods cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Humanistic nursing practice constitutes the cornerstone of the nursing profession. However, according to some authors, such practice tends to fade over time in favour of non-humanistic behaviours. To contrast this tendency, an educational intervention (EI) based on Watson's Theory of Human Caring was developed and tested in two pilot studies involving, respectively, rehabilitation nurses in Quebec (Canada) and haemodialysis (HD) nurses in Switzerland.

Synthesis, characterization and third-order nonlinear optical properties of a dodecaruthenium organometallic dendrimer with a zinc(ii) tetraphenylporphyrin core.

A new Zn(ii) porphyrin-based dendrimer (52) containing twelve Ru(ii) alkynyl fragments, has been prepared following a convergent approach in two steps from 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-ethynylphenyl)porphyrinatozinc(ii) (6). The cubic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of 52 and other derivatives of 6 have been measured by third-harmonic generation (THG) at 1907 nm and by Z-scan over the spectral range 500-1700 nm, revealing the remarkable NLO response of 52 in the near-IR range. These results highlight the beneficial role of the extended "cross fourchée"-like polymetallic structure of 52 on its third-order NLO properties.

Anderson-Type Polyoxometalates Functionalized by Tetrathiafulvalene Groups: Synthesis, Electrochemical Studies, and NLO Properties.

Three polyoxometalates (POMs) functionalized by tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) molecules have been synthesized by a coupling reaction between the Anderson-type POMs [MnMoO{(OCH)CNH}] or [AlMoO(OH){(OCH)CNH}] and the TTF carboxylic acid derivative (MeS)TTF(S-CH-COH). The monofunctionalized TTF-AlMo POM contains one TTF group covalently grafted on an Al Anderson platform. The symmetrical TTF-MnMo-TTF POM possesses two TTF groups grafted on each side of a Mn Anderson derivative while the asymmetrical TTF-MnMo-SP POM contains a TTF and a spiropyran groups.

Relationships between grip strength, myotonia, and CTG expansion in myotonic dystrophy type 1.

In myotonic dystrophy type 1, several studies have suggested causal relationships between CTG repeat length and the severity of symptoms, such as weakness or myotonia. We aimed to explore these relationships in a large population of 144 DM1 patients. All patients underwent clinical and functional assessments using a standardized test for grip strength and myotonia assessment.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of triheptanoin in adult polyglucosan body disease and open-label, long-term outcome.

Background: Adult polyglucosan body disease (APBD) is a progressive neurometabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of glycogen branching enzyme. We tested the efficacy of triheptanoin as a therapy for patients with APBD based on the hypothesis that decreased glycogen degradation leads to brain energy deficit.

Methods And Results: This was a two-site, randomized crossover trial of 23 patients (age 35-73 years; 63% men) who received triheptanoin or vegetable oil as placebo.

The diagnostic value of hyperammonaemia induced by the non-ischaemic forearm exercise test.

Aims: The non-ischaemic forearm exercise test (NIFET) is used as a diagnostic tool for the screening of patients with exercise intolerance and for the diagnosis of various metabolic muscle disorders. The production of lactate and ammonia are generally analysed to guide the diagnosis. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the level of ammonia rise, which can be suggestive of a muscle disease.

Relationship between muscle impairments, postural stability, and gait parameters assessed with lower-trunk accelerometry in myotonic dystrophy type 1.

This study evaluated gait using lower-trunk accelerometry and investigated relationships between gait abnormalities, postural instability, handgrip myotonia, and weakness in lower-limb and axial muscle groups commonly affected in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Twenty-two patients (11 men, 11 women; age = 42 years (range: 26-51)) with DM1 and twenty healthy controls (9 men, 11 women; age = 44 years (range: 24-50)) participated in this study. Gait analysis using lower-trunk accelerometry was performed at self-selected walking pace.

Longitudinal functional and NMR assessment of upper limbs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To explore the value of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and functional assessments for follow-up of ambulatory and nonambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Methods: Twenty-five 53-skippable patients with DMD were included in this study; 15 were nonambulatory at baseline. All patients underwent clinical and functional assessments every 6 months using the Motor Function Measure (MFM), hand grip and key pinch strength, MoviPlate, and NMR spectroscopy and imaging studies.

A hybrid ruthenium alkynyl/zinc porphyrin "Cross Fourchée" with large cubic NLO properties.

A new Zn(ii) porphyrin-cored ruthenium alkynyl dendrimer (2) containing twelve Ru(κ(2)-dppe)2 bis-alkynyl fragments has been prepared in two steps from 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-ethynylphenyl)porphyrinatozinc(ii) and shown to be highly active for third-harmonic generation (THG) at 1907 nm.

Diagnostic power of the non-ischaemic forearm exercise test in detecting glycogenosis type V.

Background And Purpose: This was a retrospective study to assess the diagnostic value of the non-ischaemic forearm exercise test in detecting McArdle's disease.

Methods: The study is a retrospective diagnostic study over 15 years (1999-2013) on a referred sample of patients suffering from exercise intolerance and various muscle complaints, generally with elevated creatine kinase (CK). In all, 1226 patients underwent the non-ischaemic forearm exercise test.

Wrist flexion and extension torques measured by highly sensitive dynamometer in healthy subjects from 5 to 80 years.

Background: Wrist movements become impaired with disease progression in various neuromuscular disorders. With the development of new therapies, thorough measurement of muscle strength is crucial to document natural disease progression and to assess treatment efficacy. We developed a new dynamometer enabling wrist flexion and extension torque measurement with high sensitivity.

Longitudinal in vivo muscle function analysis of the DMSXL mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Myotonic dystrophy is the most common adult muscle dystrophy. In view of emerging therapies, which use animal models as a proof of principle, the development of reliable outcome measures for in vivo longitudinal study of mouse skeletal muscle function is becoming crucial. To satisfy this need, we have developed a device to measure ankle dorsi- and plantarflexion torque in rodents.

The first hexadithienylethene-substituted tris(bipyridine)metal complexes as quadratic NLO photoswitches: combined experimental and DFT studies.

Flip the NLO switch! A straightforward access to hexadithienylethene-based photochromes by using a coordination-chemistry approach through the combination of bis(dithienylethene)bipyridyl ligands and metal ions (M = Zn, Fe) is reported. The photostability of the isomeric forms of the iron(II) complexes allows the photoswitching of second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) responses (see figure), and the results are rationalized with the help of time-dependent density functional theory.

Ankle dorsi- and plantar-flexion torques measured by dynamometry in healthy subjects from 5 to 80 years.

Background: Ankle strength is often impaired in some of the most common neuromuscular disorders. Consequently, strength generated around this joint is important to assess, because it has a great impact on balance and gait. The objectives of this study were to establish normative data and predictive equations for both ankle dorsi- and plantar-flexion strength from a population of healthy subjects (children and adults), to assess the reliability of the measurements and to study the feasibility of using a novel dynamometer on a group of patients with a neuromuscular disorder.

Photoswitching of the second-order nonlinearity of a tetrahedral octupolar multi DTE-based copper(I) complex.

The modulation of the quadratic NLO response of an octupolar metal-based chromophore featuring four photochromic dithienylethene units is reported. Quantum mechanical simulations are consistent with a full switching of the DTE units and reproduce the strong enhancement of the NLO response.

Triaryl-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-triones functionalized with electron-rich Fe(II) and Ru(II) acetylide complexes: new organometallic octupoles with large hyperpolarizabilities.

The synthesis and study of a series of trinuclear organometallic triaryl-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-triones functionalized by d(6)-transition metal acetylides complexes at their periphery are reported. Remarkably large hyperpolarizabilities, far superior to those of related purely organic derivatives, are measured by hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) for these new octupolar chromophores.