Theater practice and interpersonal synchronization behaviors: a pilot study comparing actors and non-actors.

Recent studies in the field of theater studies no longer view theater as an object, but rather as a dynamic relationship between actors and spectators. In an embodied and situated perspective of cognition, imagination emerges as a product of this dynamic. This study aims to investigate whether acting practice enhances someone's abilities to set up an effective relationship with others and allows the individual to better manage not only the relationship itself, but also her/his own feelings and those of her/his partner. Eighty two healthy Italian adults, with no communication disorders, including 43 actors (Mage = 25.4; S.D. = 3.64) and 39 non-actors (Mage = 24.1 = S.D. = 4.17) completed a joint verbal production task named Random Sequence Generation (RSG) task. Initially, participants performed the task individually. Subsequently, in a second phase, they worked in pairs with another participant, taking turns to contribute to a shared sequence. Pairings were predetermined to ensure a balanced mix of actors and non-actors, and to prevent participants from having prior relationships. Following the task, subjects were queried about their sense of presence, and, their perception of entitativity with their partner. We observed a replication of previous studies, showing higher RSG scores and reduced repetition in the paired condition, indicative of coupling and synchronization behavior. Within pairs, the level of the sense of presence of both partners was positively correlated. Furthermore, an interaction effect between the sense of presence and acting experience on the perception of entitativity was observed. Specifically, actors described perceived entitativity with their partners when their sense of presence was heightened, whereas non-actors experienced a decrease in perceived entitativity with their partners under similar circumstances. We discuss the results and limitations of the study, suggesting the effect of artistic practice on the development of a sort of dual-task ability which enables actors to organize their sensations and actions while sustaining a meaningful connection with others. This research represents an interdisciplinary collaboration between theater studies and cognitive sciences, highlighting the value of a multidisciplinary approach to research.

Social and clinical risk factors associated with hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Brussels's deprived and multiethnic areas.

BACKGROUND: In Belgium, the Brussels-Capital region was severely affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Various hypotheses were mentioned in order to explain Brussels' excess disease spreading and mortality rate, but socioeconomic risk factors are increasingly recognized. This study's objective was to analyze clinical and social profiles of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, by nationality groups, in two hospitals located in Brussels's deprived and multiethnic areas. METHODS: Data covered hospitalized COVID-19 patients from two Brussels hospitals (n = 787) between the 1st of March 2020 and the 31st of June 2020. Social data was collected using hospital records, and clinical data was extracted from hospitals' COVID-19 databases. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) of the association between two outcomes (Intensive Care Unit admission and mortality) and risk factors (social and clinical). RESULTS: Patients from Sub-Saharan Africa were younger, had a higher prevalence of obesity, lacked health insurance, and had the highest proportion of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission (27.7%) but the lowest mortality rates than other nationality groups. Patients from North Africa had a higher prevalence of diabetes compared to other nationality groups and a high proportion of European patients came from nursing homes. Patients deprived of health insurance had a higher risk of ICU admission compared to those who had insurance (OR IC95%; 1,9 1.1-3.6, p = 0.03). Other risk factors as sex and obesity were significantly associated to ICU admission and, age and hypertension were significantly associated to mortality. CONCLUSION: Social and clinical profile of the patients differs between the nationality groups, and some risk factors for Intensive Care Unit admission and mortality were linked to more patients' precarious situation as the availability of health insurance. This study underlines the role of selected social health determinants and the importance of routinely collecting social along with clinical data.

[Context, issues and perspectives of nutrition in hospitals]. / Contexte, enjeux et perspectives de la nutrition à l'hôpital.

Undernutrition is common in hospitals, and it worsens the vital and functional prognosis of patients. The earlier it is treated, the more effective it is. The prevention, detection, treatment and monitoring of undernutrition or the risk of undernutrition are a public health priority, which directly involves all carers. Management can be improved by their daily collaboration with a transversal nutrition unit.

[Nutrition and nursing]. / Nutrition et soins infirmiers.

Nutritional nursing care, whether prescribed or on its own role, is a fundamental aspect of the fight against undernutrition in hospital, which is a determinant of vital and functional prognosis. This care includes screening for undernutrition and its risk factors, assessment of intake and feeding difficulties, enrichment of oral nutrition, enteral and parenteral nutrition. Given the complexity and importance of these tasks, a multi-professional approach involving a transverse nutrition unit is beneficial.

Original 2-(3-Alkoxy-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)azines Inhibitors of Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (DHODH).

Following our discovery of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibition by 2-(3-alkoxy-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine derivatives as well as 2-(4-benzyl-3-ethoxy-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-5-methylpyridine, we describe here the syntheses and evaluation of an array of azine-bearing analogues. As in our previous report, the structure-activity study of this series of human DHODH inhibitors was based on a phenotypic assay measuring measles virus replication. Among other inhibitors, this round of syntheses and biological evaluation iteration led to the highly active 5-cyclopropyl-2-(4-(2,6-difluorophenoxy)-3-isopropoxy-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-3-fluoropyridine. Inhibition of DHODH by this compound was confirmed in an array of in vitro assays, including enzymatic tests and cell-based assays for viral replication and cellular growth. This molecule was found to be more active than the known inhibitors of DHODH, brequinar and teriflunomide, thus opening perspectives for its use as a tool or for the design of an original series of immunosuppressive agent. Moreover, because other series of inhibitors of human DHODH have been found to also affect Plasmodium falciparum DHODH, all the compounds were assayed for their effect on P. falciparum growth. However, the modest in vitro inhibition solely observed for two compounds did not correlate with their inhibition of P. falciparum DHODH.

Original 2-(3-alkoxy-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine derivatives as inhibitors of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH).

From a research program aimed at the design of new chemical entities followed by extensive screening on various models of infectious diseases, an original series of 2-(3-alkoxy-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidines endowed with notable antiviral properties were found. Using a whole cell measles virus replication assay, we describe here some aspects of the iterative process that, from 2-(4-benzyl-3-ethoxy-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine, led to 2-(4-(2,6-difluorophenoxy)-3-isopropoxy-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-5-ethylpyrimidine and a 4000-fold improvement of antiviral activity with a subnanomolar level of inhibition. Moreover, recent precedents in the literature describing antiviral derivatives acting at the level of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway led us to determine that the mode of action of this series is based on the inhibition of the cellular dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), the fourth enzyme of this pathway. Biochemical studies with recombinant human DHODH led us to measure IC50 as low as 13 nM for the best example of this original series when using 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-1,4-benzoquinone (coenzyme Q1) as a surrogate for coenzyme Q10, the cofactor of this enzyme.

Rapid infusion pump overestimates delivered flow during rapid vascular filling: a bench study.

OBJECTIVE: Despite now being rarely used in the prehospital and emergency department arena because of their excessive length and low inner diameter, narrow-bore central venous catheters (CVC) are sometime used to perform fluid resuscitation using a rapid infusion pump to enhance delivered flow. In this bench study, we tested the hypothesis that the delivered flow rate downstream from the catheter connected to a rapid infusion pump would be significantly lower than the preset flow rate, and this difference would be affected by the catheter size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight units of each type of catheter [two 15 and 20 cm narrow-bore CVC and three 14, 16 and 18 G peripheral venous catheters (PVC)] were connected to a rapid infusion device and were tested with physiological saline. Measurements were repeated using glycerol solution with a viscosity similar to that of packed red blood cells. Infusion pump flow rates were preset to 100, 200, 300 and 400 ml/min. Flow rates were measured downstream from catheters, each connected to a rapid infusion device. RESULTS: The downstream flow rate remained lower than the preset flow rate except with the 14 and the 16 G PVC at 100 ml/min (P<0.001). The type of catheter significantly impacted the flow rates measured with physiological saline (F4,105=1008.83, P<0.001) and glycerol solution (F4,105=1843.46, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Using a rapid infusion device, the delivered flow rate was lower than the preset flow rate. Even PVCs are better than narrow-bore CVC, neither is the most suitable cannula for patients requiring massive resuscitation.

Fetal phenotype associated with the 22q11 deletion.

The 22q11 deletion syndrome is one of the most common human microdeletion syndromes, with a wide spectrum of abnormalities. The fetal phenotype associated with the 22q11 deletion is poorly described in the literature. A national retrospective study was performed from 74 feto-pathological examinations. The objectives were to evaluate the circumstances of the 22q11 deletion diagnosis and to describe fetal anomalies. Post mortem examinations were performed after 66 terminations of pregnancy and eight fetal deaths. The series included nine fetuses from the first trimester, 55 from the second trimester, and ten from the third trimester. A 22q11 FISH analysis was recommended for 57 fetuses after multidisciplinary prenatal diagnostic counseling and for 17 fetuses by a fetal pathologist. Conotruncal heart defects were the most common anomalies (65 fetuses), followed by thymus defects (62 fetuses), and malformations of the urinary tract (25 fetuses). This study identified several unusual and severe features rarely described in the literature. Neurological abnormalities were described in ten fetuses, with seven neural tube defects and five arhinencephalies. This series also included lethal malformations: two hypoplastic left heart syndromes, two bilateral renal agenesis, and one tracheal agenesis. Genetic analysis for a 22q11 deletion is usually indicated when a congenital conotruncal heart and/or thymus defect is detected, but might also be useful in case of other lethal or severe malformations that initially led to the termination of pregnancy.

Effect of persistent patent ductus arteriosus on mortality and morbidity in very low-birthweight infants.

AIM: Because New Caledonia is geographically isolated from the nearest cardiac surgical centre, surgical closure of ductus arteriosus is not performed in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants who have a persistent patent ductus in spite of having undergone treatment with ibuprofen. This study aimed at investigating the possible effect of persistent patent ductus in VLBW infants. METHODS: The study included 177 VLBW infants born at 25-31 weeks of gestation from January 2006 to May 2011. Mortality and major morbidities were compared between infants with a persistent patent ductus (n = 33) and those without it (n = 104). Statistical associations between potential neonatal risk factors and significant morbidities were identified using multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Rates of mortality and major morbidities, including the rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular haemorrhage grades I-II and III-IV, periventricular leucomalacia, late-onset infections and failure of hearing screening, were insignificantly higher in VLBW infants with a persistent patent ductus than in those without it. CONCLUSION: This study adds further evidence that persistent patent ductus arteriosus has no significant effect on mortality and morbidity in VLBW infants born at ≥25 weeks' gestational age.

Two type III secretion system effectors from Ralstonia solanacearum GMI1000 determine host-range specificity on tobacco.

The model pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum GMI1000 is the causal agent of the bacterial wilt disease that attacks many solanaceous plants and other hosts but not tobacco (Nicotiana spp.). We found that two type III secretion system effector genes, avrA and popP1, are limiting the host range of strain GMI1000 on at least three tobacco species (N. tabacum, N. benthamiana, and N. glutinosa). Both effectors elicit the hypersensitive response (HR) on these tobacco species, although in different manners; AvrA is the major determinant recognized by N. tabacum and N. benthamiana, while PopP1 appears to be the major HR elicitor on N. glutinosa. Only the double inactivation of the avrA and popP1 genes allowed GMI1000 to wilt tobacco plants, thus showing that GMI1000 intrinsically possesses the functions necessary to wilt tobacco plants. A focused analysis on AvrA revealed that the first 58 N-terminal amino acids are sufficient to direct its injection into plant cells. We identified a hypervariable region in avrA, which contains variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR), each composed of 12 base pairs. We show that an 18-amino acid region in which the VNTR insertion occurs is an important domain involved in HR elicitation on N. benthamiana. avrA appears to be the target of various DNA insertions or mobile elements that probably allow R. solanacearum to evade the recognition and defense responses of tobacco.

The U=C double bond: synthesis and study of uranium nucleophilic carbene complexes.

Treatment of U(BH(4))(4) with 1 or 3 equiv of Li(2)(SCS) x 1.5 Et(2)O, 1, afforded the actinide carbene complexes U(mu-SCS)(3)[U(BH(4))(3)](2) (4) and U(mu-SCS)(3)[Li(Et(2)O)](2) (6), respectively [SCS = (Ph(2)P = S)(2)C]. In THF, complex 4 was transformed into the mononuclear derivative (SCS)U(BH(4))(2)(THF)(2) (5). The multiple bond character of the uranium-carbon bond was first revealed by the X-ray crystal structures of the three complexes. The U=C bond in these complexes present a nucleophilic character, as shown by their reaction with a carbonyl derivative. Finally, DFT calculations prove the involvement of both 5f and 6d orbitals in both the sigma and the pi U-C bonds.