Spatial ability predicts performance in mathematics and eventual expertise in science, technology and engineering. Spatial skills have also been shown to rely on neuronal networks partially shared with mathematics. Understanding the nature of this association can inform educational practices and intervention for mathematical underperformance. Using data on two aspects of spatial ability and thr...

BACKGROUND Although data from longitudinal studies are sparse, effort-reward imbalance (ERI) seems to affect work ability. However, the potential pathway from restricted work ability to ERI must also be considered. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyse cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between ERI and work ability and vice versa. METHODS Data come from the Second German S...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Students are exposed to basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training in the first semester in some medical colleges. The aim of this study was to compare students' satisfaction between lecture-based traditional method and hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) in BLS/ACLS teaching to undergraduate medical students. METHODS We conducted a question...

BACKGROUND Non-communicable diseases are an emerging concern in sub-Saharan Africa, and risks for these conditions are often based on exposures in early life, with premonitory signs developing during childhood. The prevalence of hypertension has been reported to be high in African adults, but little is known about blood pressure in African children. We studied prevalence and risk factors for hi...

BACKGROUND Sedentary behaviour is a known risk factor for a wide range of chronic diseases. This major health risk is likely to increase given the increasingly sedentary nature of work. AIMS To investigate the prevalence of sedentary behaviour in a sample of UK working-aged adults, across a range of employment sectors. METHODS A cross-sectional survey conducted with organizations throughout...

OBJECTIVE To describe detailed physical activity and sedentary behaviour in French adults across physical activity categories. DESIGN The French Nutrition and Health Survey (Etude Nationale Nutrition Santé, ENNS), conducted in 2006-2007, was a national cross-sectional survey based on three-stage random sampling. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to classify par...

Evolution or engineering of novel metabolic pathways can endow microbes with new abilities to degrade anthropogenic pollutants or synthesize valuable chemicals. Most studies of the evolution of new pathways have focused on the origins and quality of function of the enzymes involved. However, there is an additional layer of complexity that has received less attention. Introduction of a novel pat...

BACKGROUND The maintenance of healthy lifestyles is of great importance to prevent pregnancy-related diseases at early stages. For this reason, the knowledge of the overall wellbeing of women at childbearing-age is necessary to provide appropriate advice to maintain or improve the nutritional status. The aim of this research was to assess the lifestyles of childbearing-age women planning a preg...

We have investigated the effect of different maturation stimuli on the ability of mature dendritic cells (DCs) to cross-present newly acquired particulate antigens. Cross-presentation was impaired in DCs matured by treatment with TNF-α, CpG and LPS, but was less affected upon CD40L-induced maturation. The difference could not be explained by decreased antigen uptake or translocation into the cy...

Understanding viral factors that promote cross-species transmission is important for evaluating the risk of zoonotic emergence. We constructed a database of viruses of domestic artiodactyls and examined the correlation between traits linked in the literature to cross-species transmission and the ability of viruses to infect humans. Among these traits--genomic material, genome segmentation, and ...