Cardiovascular reactivity in a simulated job interview: the role of gender role self-concept

This study investigated the relation of gender role self-concept (G-SC) to cardiovascular and emotional reactions to an ecologically relevant stressor in a sample of graduating male and female university students. Thirty-seven men and 37 women completed the Personal Attribute Questionnaire and worked on four tasks designed to reflect common features of a job interview. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at baseline, during, and after each task; subjective stress was measured at baseline and after each task. Subjective and objective stress scores were averaged across tasks and analyzed by sex and G-SC (i.e., instrumentality, expressiveness). Results indicated that women as a group demonstrated greater emotional reactivity, but did not differ in their physiological reactions when compared to men. Regardless of sex, participants’ instrumentality scores contributed significantly to the variation in subjective stress response: those scoring high on instrumentality reported less stress, but evidenced greater blood pressure reactivity than those scoring low on instrumentality. These results suggest that gender roles, particularly an instrumental self-concept, may play an important role in both subjective and objective reactions to an ecologically relevant stressor

Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial of Speech after Early Neurostimulation in Parkinson's Disease

International audienc

Surface-associated motility, a common trait of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, depends on 1,3-diaminopropane

While flagella-independent motility has long been described in representatives of the genus Acinetobacter, the mechanism of motility remains ambiguous. Acinetobacter baumannii, a nosocomial pathogen appearing increasingly multidrug-resistant, may profit from motility during infection or while persisting in the hospital environment. However, data on the frequency of motility skills among clinical A. baumannii isolates is scarce. We have screened a collection of 83 clinical A. baumannii isolates of different origin and found that, with the exception of one isolate, all were motile on wet surfaces albeit to varying degrees and exhibiting differing morphologies. Screening a collection of transposon mutants of strain ATCC 17978 for motility defects, we identified 2 akinetic mutants carrying transposon insertions in the dat and ddc gene, respectively. These neighbouring genes contribute to synthesis of 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP), a polyamine ubiquitously produced in Acinetobacter. Supplementing semi-solid media with DAP cured the motility defect of both mutants. HPLC analyses confirmed that DAP synthesis was abolished in ddc and dat mutants of different A. baumannii isolates and was re-established after genetic complementation. Both, the dat and ddc mutant of ATCC 17978 were attenuated in the Galleria mellonella caterpillar infection model. Taken together, surface-associated motility is a common trait of clinical A. baumannii isolates that requires DAP and may play a role in its virulence

Deep Brain Stimulation for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease With Early Motor Complications

Background Effects of DBS on freezing of gait and other axial signs in PD patients are unclear. Objective Secondary analysis to assess whether DBS affects these symptoms within a large randomized controlled trial comparing DBS of the STN combined with best medical treatment and best medical treatment alone in patients with early motor complications (EARLYSTIM-trial). Methods One hundred twenty-four patients were randomized in the stimulation group and 127 patients in the best medical treatment group. Presence of freezing of gait was assessed in the worst condition based on item-14 of the UPDRS-II at baseline and follow-up. The posture, instability, and gait-difficulty subscore of the UPDRS-III, and a gait test including quantification of freezing of gait and number of steps, were performed in both medication-off and medication-on conditions. Results Fifty-two percent in both groups had freezing of gait at baseline based on UPDRS-II. This proportion decreased in the stimulation group to 34%, but did not change in the best medical treatment group at 24 months (P = 0.018). The steps needed to complete the gait test decreased in the stimulation group and was superior to the best medical treatment group (P = 0.016). The axial signs improved in the stimulation group compared to the best medical treatment group (P < 0.01) in both medication-off and medication-on conditions. Conclusions Within the first 2 years of DBS, freezing of gait and other axial signs improved in the medication-off condition compared to best medical treatment in these patients. (c) 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Societ

Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial of Speech after Early Neurostimulation in Parkinson's Disease

BackgroundThe EARLYSTIM trial demonstrated for Parkinson's disease patients with early motor complications that deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) and best medical treatment (BMT) was superior to BMT alone. ObjectiveThis prospective, ancillary study on EARLYSTIM compared changes in blinded speech intelligibility assessment between STN-DBS and BMT over 2 years, and secondary outcomes included non-speech oral movements (maximum phonation time [MPT], oral diadochokinesis), physician- and patient-reported assessments. MethodsSTN-DBS (n = 102) and BMT (n = 99) groups underwent assessments on/off medication at baseline and 24 months (in four conditions: on/off medication, ON/OFF stimulation-for STN-DBS). Words and sentences were randomly presented to blinded listeners, and speech intelligibility rate was measured. Statistical analyses compared changes between the STN-DBS and BMT groups from baseline to 24 months. ResultsOver the 2-year period, changes in speech intelligibility and MPT, as well as patient-reported outcomes, were not different between groups, either off or on medication or OFF or ON stimulation, but most outcomes showed a nonsignificant trend toward worsening in both groups. Change in oral diadochokinesis was significantly different between STN-DBS and BMT groups, on medication and OFF STN-DBS, with patients in the STN-DBS group performing slightly worse than patients under BMT only. A signal for clinical worsening with STN-DBS was found for the individual speech item of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Part III. ConclusionAt this early stage of the patients' disease, STN-DBS did not result in a consistent deterioration in blinded speech intelligibility assessment and patient-reported communication, as observed in studies of advanced Parkinson's Disease. (c) 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society