bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wavelet filters for automated recognition of birdsong in long‐time field recordings
Authors: Priyadarshani Nirosha , Marsland Stephen , Juodakis Julius , Castro Isabel , Listanti Virginia
Published: January 2020

Ecoacoustics has the potential to provide a large amount of information about the abundance of many animal species at a relatively low cost. Acoustic recording units are widely used in field data collection, but the facilities to reliably process the data recorded – recognizing calls that are relatively infrequent, and often significantly degraded by noise and distance to the microphone – are not well‐developed yet.

We propose a call detection method for continuous field recordings that can be trained quickly and easily on new species, and degrades gracefully with increased noise or distance from the microphone. The method is based on the reconstruction of the sound from a subset of the wavelet nodes (elements in the wavelet packet decomposition tree). It is intended as a preprocessing filter, therefore we aim to minimize false negatives: false positives can be removed in subsequent processing, but missed calls will not be looked at again.

We compare our method to standard call detection methods, and also to machine learning methods (using as input features either wavelet energies or Mel‐Frequency Cepstral Coefficients) on real‐world noisy field recordings of six bird species. The results show that our method has higher recall (proportion detected) than the alternative methods: 87% with 85% specificity on >53 hr of test data, resulting in an 80% reduction in the amount of data that needed further verification. It detected >60% of calls that were extremely faint (far away), even with high background noise.

This preprocessing method is available in our AviaNZ bioacoustic analysis program and enables the user to significantly reduce the amount of subsequent processing required (whether manual or automatic) to analyse continuous field recordings collected by spatially and temporally large‐scale monitoring of animal species. It can be trained to recognize new species without difficulty, and if several species are sought simultaneously, filters can be run in parallel.
Visual TreeCmp: Comprehensive Comparison of Phylogenetic Trees on the Web
Authors: Goluch Tomasz , Bogdanowicz Damian , Giaro Krzysztof
Published: January 2020

We present Visual TreeCmp—a package of applications for comparing phylogenetic tree sets.

Visual TreeCmp includes a graphical web interface allowing the visualization of compared trees and command line application extended by comparison methods recently proposed in the literature.

The phylogenetic tree similarity analysis in Visual TreeCmp can be performed using eighteen metrics, of which 11 are dedicated to rooted trees and seven to the unrooted ones. Additionally, in the case of different sets of labels, the compared trees can be pruned so that the sets are identical.

The Visual TreeCmp is dedicated to people who need a universal and easy‐to‐use tool designed to compare arbitrary (not necessary binary) phylogenetic trees. An example of its use in a supertree accuracy analysis is described in section 3.

The Visual TreeCmp package Web application is available at: (https://eti.pg.edu.pl/TreeCmp), and its source codes available under the GNU license can be reached through several repositories located at: (https://github.com/TreeCmp).
“Amyloid‐beta accumulation cycle” as a prevention and/or therapy target for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Rao Chinthalapally V. , Asch Adam S. , Carr Daniel J. J. , Yamada Hiroshi Y.
Published: January 2020

The cell cycle and its regulators are validated targets for cancer drugs. Reagents that target cells in a specific cell cycle phase (e.g., antimitotics or DNA synthesis inhibitors/replication stress inducers) have demonstrated success as broad‐spectrum anticancer drugs. Cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) are drivers of cell cycle transitions. A CDK inhibitor, flavopiridol/alvocidib, is an FDA‐approved drug for acute myeloid leukemia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is another serious issue in contemporary medicine. The cause of AD remains elusive, although a critical role of latent amyloid‐beta accumulation has emerged. Existing AD drug research and development targets include amyloid, amyloid metabolism/catabolism, tau, inflammation, cholesterol, the cholinergic system, and other neurotransmitters. However, none have been validated as therapeutically effective targets. Recent reports from AD‐omics and preclinical animal models provided data supporting the long‐standing notion that cell cycle progression and/or mitosis may be a valid target for AD prevention and/or therapy. This review will summarize the recent developments in AD research: (a) Mitotic re‐entry, leading to the “amyloid‐beta accumulation cycle,” may be a prerequisite for amyloid‐beta accumulation and AD pathology development; (b) AD‐associated pathogens can cause cell cycle errors; (c) thirteen among 37 human AD genetic risk genes may be functionally involved in the cell cycle and/or mitosis; and (d) preclinical AD mouse models treated with CDK inhibitor showed improvements in cognitive/behavioral symptoms. If the “amyloid‐beta accumulation cycle is an AD drug target” concept is proven, repurposing of cancer drugs may emerge as a new, fast‐track approach for AD management in the clinic setting.
Early Analytical Agricultural Economics in Australia
Authors: Mauldon Roger G.
Published: January 2020

Analysis of home consumption pricing by Giblin and Copland in the 1930s preceded the development of an identifiable Australian agricultural economics profession. They demonstrated that costs of increasing domestic prices of agricultural products above export levels would be borne largely by lightly assisted exporters and hinder their development. This work was taken up later within a framework of computable general equilibrium modelling. Now largely of historical interest, their work sheds light on likely consequences of some past policy debates ‑ of protection all round in the 1920s and tariff compensation in the 1970s.
Anatomy of the skull in the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) using radiography and 3D computed tomography
Authors: Pereira Fernanda Mara Aragão Macedo , Bete Stela Bonadia de Souza , Inamassu Letícia Rocha , Mamprim Maria Jaqueline , Schimming Bruno Cesar
Published: January 2020

The capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the largest rodent found throughout South America and are present in almost all the Brazilian territory, however, still lack basic descriptions about the species, such as about their cranial anatomy. This study was carried out to investigate the anatomical features in the capybara skull. Eight skulls and two heads, without sexual distinction, were used for the osteological, radiographic and tomographic identification of their structures. The skull of the capybara could be divided into a neurocranium and a viscerocranium. The capybara had a more robust and rectangular skull, elongated face caudally, thinned in the nasal region and slightly convex in the parietal region. The zygomatic arch was expanded and wide, the orbit had a circular shape, the infraorbital foramen was well developed, external acoustic meatus and tympanic bulla were relatively small, and the paracondylar process was large. These anatomical characteristics are compatible with the eating habit and semi‐aquatic life of capybaras, which can be compared with characteristics reported for animals of similar habits. The radiographic image allowed to identify structures such as the frontal sinus, whereas 3D tomographic reconstruction was essential to have a spatial view of the skull of the capybara.
Consumer experiences of home care packages
Authors: Russell Sarah Joan , Siostrom Kristy , Edwards Iain , Srikanth Velandai
Published: January 2020

Objective

The study aimed to explore consumers’ experiences of receiving a home care package (HCP).

Methods

Community engagement was used to recruit older people approved for a HCP. Data were collected through face‐to‐face interviews, and data analysis identified themes.

Results

Effective consumer‐directed care depends on access to reliable information. Participants who reported satisfactory experiences had: (a) providers that charged reasonable fees; (b) case managers who delivered person‐centred care; (c) support workers who were consistently assigned to them; (d) a family member for support and advocacy; and (5) ongoing community engagement.

Conclusion

Consumer experience requires tighter regulation of providers and policy attention to fees and minimal standards of staff training. The policy of full cost recovery restricts consumers’ access to local government services.
Effects of hemodynamic conditions and valve sizing on leaflet bending stress in self‐expanding transcatheter aortic valve: An in vitro study
Authors: Stanová Viktória , Zenses Anne‐Sophie , Thollon Lionel , Kadem Lyes , Barragan Paul , Rieu Régis , Pibarot Philippe
Published: January 2020

Transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) replacement has become a viable alternative to surgery for high and intermediate risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. This technology may extend to the younger and lower risk patients. In this population, long‐term durability of the TAV is key. Increased leaflet mechanical stress is one of the main determinants of valve structural deterioration. This in vitro study aims at evaluating leaflet bending stress (LBS) in the self‐expanding TAV for different valve sizes, stroke volumes (SV), and degrees of valve oversizing (OS). Three different sizes (23, 26, and 29 mm) of CoreValve (CV) were tested on a pulse duplicator in annulus size ranging from 17 to 26 mm. Leaflet bending stress and bending of the leaflet coaptation line in diastole pinwheeling index (PI) were measured using high‐speed camera imaging (1000 images/s). For each given CV and annulus size, geometric orifice area (GOA) increased significantly with OS (P < .001) and SV (P = .001). LBS decreased with increasing prosthesis size and aortic annulus (AA) size while increasing with SV (P < .03). The largest value of peak LBS (3.79 MPa) was obtained with the CV 23 mm in AA of 17 mm (%OS = 35%), SV 90 mL and the smallest value (0.99 MPa) for the CV 29 mm in AA of 26 mm (%OS = 12%), SV 30 mL. On multivariable analysis, LBS increased independently with larger OS, smaller AA size and higher SV. The PI increased with decreasing AA size and increasing OS. Moderate valve OS, such as generally used for transcatheter aortic valve implantation, is associated with increased LBS during valve opening and closing, especially in small annuli. Hence, TAV OS may negatively impact long‐term valve durability.
High prevalence of myopia in children and their parents in Hong Kong Chinese Population: the Hong Kong Children Eye Study
Authors: Yam Jason C. , Tang Shu Min , Kam Ka Wai , Chen Li Jia , Yu Marco , Law Antony K. , Yip Benjamin H. , Wang Yu Meng , Cheung Carol Y. L. , Ng Danny S.C. , Young Alvin L. , Tham Clement C. , Pang Chi Pui
Published: January 2020

Purpose

To determine the myopia prevalence in Hong Kong Chinese children and their parents.

Methods

It was a population‐based cross‐sectional study. A total of 4257 children aged 6–8 years, and 5880 parents were recruited in the Hong Kong Children Eye Study. Cycloplegic autorefraction was measured for children; and non‐cycloplegic autorefraction for parents. Parental educational level, children's outdoor time, and near work were collected by validated questionnaires.

Results

In children aged 6–8 years, 25.0% were myopic, and among them, 12.7% for the 6‐year‐olds, 24.4% for the 7‐year‐olds and 36.1% for the 8‐year‐old. About 0.7% of children aged 8 years were high myopia. In all age groups, boys (their myopia rate: 13.9% at 6 years, 26.7% at 7 years, and 38.3% at 8 years) were more myopic than girls (11.3% at 6 years, 22.0% at 7 years, 33.4% at 8 years). Among parents, 72.2% were myopic (mother, 73.2%; father, 70.7%) and 13.5% high myopia (mother, 12.8%; father, 14.5%). It was observed that prevalence decreased with ages and increased with education level.

Conclusion

There is a strikingly high prevalence of myopia in Hong Kong children aged 6–8, much higher than that of other regions of China. Of note, the prevalence of children was similar to that in 15 years ago. Furthermore, the myopia prevalence of parents is high, and it had already increased in this cohort. Prevention of childhood myopia is important, likewise for visual complications from high myopia in adults.
Automated classification of normal and Stargardt disease optical coherence tomography images using deep learning
Authors: Shah Mital , Roomans Ledo Ana , Rittscher Jens
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Recent advances in deep learning have seen an increase in its application to automated image analysis in ophthalmology for conditions with a high prevalence. We wanted to identify whether deep learning could be used for the automated classification of optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from patients with Stargardt disease (STGD) using a smaller dataset than traditionally used.

Methods

Sixty participants with STGD and 33 participants with a normal retinal OCT were selected, and a single OCT scan containing the centre of the fovea was selected as the input data. Two approaches were used: Model 1 – a pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN); Model 2 – a new CNN architecture. Both models were evaluated on their accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and Jaccard similarity score (JSS).

Results

About 102 OCT scans from participants with a normal retinal OCT and 647 OCT scans from participants with STGD were selected. The highest results were achieved when both models were implemented as a binary classifier: Model 1 – accuracy 99.6%, sensitivity 99.8%, specificity 98.0% and JSS 0.990; Model 2 – accuracy 97.9%, sensitivity 97.9%, specificity 98.0% and JSS 0.976.

Conclusion

The deep learning classification models used in this study were able to achieve high accuracy despite using a smaller dataset than traditionally used and are effective in differentiating between normal OCT scans and those from patients with STGD. This preliminary study provides promising results for the application of deep learning to classify OCT images from patients with inherited retinal diseases.
Corporate culture, ethical stimulus, and managerial momentum: Theory and evidence
Authors: Smimou K.
Published: January 2020

Research on organizational culture and ethical decision making has shown that ethical trainings predict and interact with other institutional variables to establish an ethical culture, while other studies suggest that the exposition of moral symbols leads to an increase of individuals' moral awareness. This study examines whether the relation between managerial momentum and fund performance is contingent upon ethical stimuli, team composition and interactions between them. It thus bestows insights to better inform institutional investors (including those working with mutual funds, pension funds, and insurance) about the nature and impact of ethical stimuli, when coupled with managers' momentum and team size, on the prediction of overall return of managed funds. I develop a new measure of managers' momentum termed “managerial momentum” and test our proposed theory and hypotheses using large samples of U.S. and Canadian mutual funds. The evidence reveals that there is sizeable positive effect of both corporate culture with its ethical dimensions and ethical stimulus on the fund performance. Furthermore, there is subtle evidence that both factors divulge additional information about the fund performance, but their effects are conditional on higher managerial momentum or team size, suggesting that managerial momentum alone is not sufficient. However, it is necessary to have the institutional ethical climate and/or managers' continuous ethical training to achieve viable and resilient investment opportunities tailored to the needs of different clienteles.
An evaluation of the anti‐hyperalgesic effects of cannabidiolic acid‐methyl ester in a preclinical model of peripheral neuropathic pain
Authors: Zhu Yong Fang , Linher‐Melville Katja , Niazmand Mohammad Javad , Sharma Manu , Shahid Ayesha , Zhu Kan Lun , Parzei Natalka , Sidhu Jesse , Haj Christeene , Mechoulam Raphael , Singh Gurmit
Published: January 2020

Background and Purpose

Chronic neuropathic pain (NEP) is associated with growing therapeutic cannabis use. To promote quality of life without psychotropic effects, cannabinoids other than Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabidiol, including cannabidiol and its precursor cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), are being evaluated. Due to its instability, CBDA has been understudied, particularly as an anti‐nociceptive agent. Adding a methyl ester group (CBDA‐ME) significantly enhances its stability, facilitating analyses of its analgesic effects in vivo. This study examines early treatment efficacy of CBDA‐ME in a rat model of peripherally induced NEP and evaluates sex as a biological variable.

Experimental Approach

After 14 consecutive days of intraperitoneal CBDA‐ME administration at 0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg·kg−1, commencing 1 day after surgically implanting a sciatic nerve‐constricting cuff to induce NEP, the anti‐nociceptive efficacy of this cannabinoid was assessed in male and female Sprague–Dawley rats relative to vehicle‐treated counterparts. In females, 2 and 4 μg·kg−1 daily doses of CBDA‐ME were also evaluated. Behavioural tests were performed for hind paw mechanical and thermal withdrawal thresholds once a week for 8 weeks. At endpoint, in vivo electrophysiological recordings were obtained to characterize soma threshold changes in primary sensory neurons.

Key Results

In males, CBDA‐ME elicited a significant concentration‐dependent chronic anti‐hyperalgesic effect, also influencing both nociceptive and non‐nociceptive mechanoreceptors, which were not observed in females at any of the concentrations tested.

Conclusion and Implications

Initiating treatment of a peripheral nerve injury with CBDA‐ME at an early stage post‐surgery provides anti‐nociception in males, warranting further investigation into potential sexual dimorphisms underlying this response.
Tumor‐infiltrating M2 macrophage in pretreatment biopsy sample predicts response to chemotherapy and survival in esophageal cancer
Authors: Yamamoto Kei , Makino Tomoki , Sato Eiichi , Noma Toshiki , Urakawa Shinya , Takeoka Tomohira , Yamashita Kotaro , Saito Takuro , Tanaka Koji , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Yukinori , Yamasaki Makoto , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Mori Masaki , Doki Yuichiro , Wada Hisashi
Published: January 2020

The association between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and treatment response or survival has been a recent focus in several types of cancer. However, most study materials are resected specimens that were completely modified by prior chemotherapy; therefore, the unmodified host immune condition has not yet been clarified. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between TME assessed in pre–therapeutic biopsy samples and chemoresistance in esophageal cancer (EC). A total of 86 endoscopic biopsy samples from EC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to surgery were evaluated for the number of intratumoral CD4+ lymphocytes (with/without Foxp3 expression), CD8+ lymphocytes (with/without PD‐1 expression), monocytes (CD14+) and macrophages (CD86+, CD163+ and CD206+) by multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC). The number of tumor‐infiltrating CD206+ macrophages I significantly correlated with cT, cM, cStage and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), whereas the number of lymphocytes (including expression of Foxp3 and PD‐1) was not associated with clinico‐pathological features. The high infiltration of CD163+ or CD206+ macrophages was significantly associated with poor pathological response to NAC (P = 0.0057 and 0.0196, respectively). Expression of arginase‐1 in CD163+ macrophages tended to be higher in non–responders (29.4% vs 18.2%, P = 0.17). In addition, patients with high infiltration of M2 macrophages exhibited unfavorable overall survival compared to those without high infiltration of M2 macrophages (5‐year overall survival 57.2% vs 71.0%, P = 0.0498). Thus, a comprehensive analysis of TME using multiplex IHC revealed that M2 macrophage infiltration would be useful in predicting the response to NAC and long‐term survival in EC patients.
Zirconia implants restored with single crowns or fixed dental prostheses: 5‐year results of a prospective cohort investigation
Authors: Balmer Marc , Spies Benedikt C. , Kohal Ralf‐Joachim , Hämmerle Christoph Hans‐Franz , Vach Kirstin , Jung Ronald E.
Published: January 2020

Aim

To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of one‐piece zirconia implants restored with single crowns (SCs) or fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) over an observation period of 5 years in function.

Materials and methods

In a prospective cohort investigation with two investigational centers, one‐piece zirconia implants were placed in anterior and posterior sites. After a healing period of at least 2 months in the mandible and 4 months in the maxilla with immediate provisional reconstructions, the final all‐ceramic SCs or three‐unit FDPs were cemented. Patients were followed for 5 years. Clinical parameters and radiological measurements of the implants and the neighboring teeth were assessed. For the statistical analysis, linear mixed models were applied.

Results

A total of 71 implants were placed in 60 patients. Sixty‐three implants in 53 patients could be evaluated at the 5‐year follow‐up. Six patients with a total of seven implants were counted as dropouts. One implant did not achieve adequate osseointegration and had to be removed 5 weeks after implantation. The 5‐year survival rate was calculated as 98.4% (95% CI 91.6, 99.9). The mean overall marginal bone loss from implant placement to the 5‐year follow‐up was 0.7 ± 0.6 mm. After an initial mean marginal loss before loading the implants (0.7 mm), no further statistically significant change in marginal bone level (p = .458) could be observed.

Conclusion

The investigated one‐piece zirconia implant showed a high survival rate, very stable marginal bone, and mucosal margin levels after 5 years in function. Therefore, it can be considered safe and reliable for the reconstruction of implant‐supported SCs or FDPs over a mid‐term period.
Familiarity‐Matching: An Ecologically Rational Heuristic for the Relationships‐Comparison Task
Authors: Shirasuna Masaru , Honda Hidehito , Matsuka Toshihiko , Ueda Kazuhiro
Published: January 2020

Previous studies have shown that people often use heuristics in making inferences and that subjective memory experiences, such as recognition or familiarity of objects, can be valid cues for inferences. So far, many researchers have used the binary choice task in which two objects are presented as alternatives (e.g., “Which city has the larger population, city A or city B?”). However, objects can be presented not only as alternatives but also in a question (e.g., “Which country is city X in, country A or country B?”). In such a situation, people can make inferences based on the relationship between the object in the question and each object given as an alternative. In the present study, we call this type of task a “relationships‐comparison task.” We modeled the three inference strategies that people could apply to solve it (familiarity‐matching [FM; a new heuristic we propose in this study], familiarity heuristic [FH], and knowledge‐based inference [KI]) to examine people's inference processes. Through Studies 1, 2, and 3, we found that (a) people tended to rely on heuristics, and that FM (inferences based on similarity in familiarity between objects) well explained participants' inference patterns; (b) FM could work as an ecologically rational strategy for the relationships–comparison task since it could effectively reflect environmental structures, and that the use of FM could be highly replicable and robust; and (c) people could sometimes use a decision strategy like FM, even in their daily lives (consumer behaviors). The nature of the relationships–comparison task and human cognitive processes is discussed.
The Progression of Regenerative Medicine and its Impact on Therapy Translation
Authors: Jacques Erik , Suuronen Erik J.
Published: January 2020

Despite regenerative medicine (RM) being one of the hottest topics in biotechnology for the past 3 decades, it is generally acknowledged that the field’s performance at the bedside has been somewhat disappointing. This may be linked to the novelty of these technologies and their disruptive nature, which has brought an increasing level of complexity to translation. Therefore, we look at how the historical development of the RM field has changed the translational strategy. Specifically, we explore how the pursuit of such novel regenerative therapies has changed the way experts aim to translate their ideas into clinical applications, and then identify areas that need to be corrected or reinforced in order for these therapies to eventually be incorporated into the standard‐of‐care. This is then linked to a discussion of the preclinical and postclinical challenges remaining today, which offer insights that can contribute to the future progression of RM.
Impact of SLCO1B1 Genetic Variation on Rosuvastatin Systemic Exposure in Pediatric Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Wagner Jonathan B. , Abdel‐Rahman Susan , Gaedigk Andrea , Gaedigk Roger , Raghuveer Geetha , Staggs Vincent S. , Van Haandel Leon , Leeder J. Steven
Published: January 2020

This study investigated the impact of SLCO1B1 genotype on rosuvastatin systemic exposure in hypercholesterolemic children and adolescents. Participants (8–21 years) with at least one allelic variant of SLCO1B1 c.521T>C (521TC, n = 13; 521CC, n = 2) and wild type controls (521TT, n = 13) completed a single oral dose pharmacokinetic study. The variability contributed by SLCO1B1 c.521 sequence variation to rosuvastatin (RVA) systemic exposure among our pediatric cohort was comparable to previous studies in adults. RVA concentration‐time curve from 0–24 hours (AUC0–24) was 1.4‐fold and 2.2‐fold higher in participants with c.521TC and c.521CC genotype compared 521TT participants, respectively. Interindividual variability of RVA exposure within SLCO1B1 genotype groups exceeded the ~ 1.5‐fold to 2‐fold difference in mean RVA exposure observed among SLCO1B1 genotype groups, suggesting that other factors also contribute to interindividual variability in the rosuvastatin dose‐exposure relationship. A multivariate model performed confirmed SLCO1B1 c.521T>C genotype as the primary factor contributing to RVA systemic exposure in this pediatric cohort, accounting for ~ 30% of the variability RVA AUC0–24. However, of the statins investigated to date in the pediatric population, RVA has the lowest magnitude of variability in systemic exposure.
Anti‐reflux mucosectomy: Can we do better?
Authors: Shimamura Yuto , Inoue Haruhiro
Published: January 2020

This Editorial refers to the article by Patil et al., p 745–752 of this issue.
Two‐year‐old children preferentially transmit simple actions but not pedagogically demonstrated actions
Authors: Bazhydai Marina , Silverstein Priya , Parise Eugenio , Westermann Gert
Published: January 2020

Children are sensitive to both social and non‐social aspects of the learning environment. Among social cues, pedagogical communication has been shown to not only play a role in children's learning, but also in their own active transmission of knowledge. Vredenburgh, Kushnir and Casasola, Developmental Science, 2015, 18, 645 showed that 2‐year‐olds are more likely to demonstrate an action to a naive adult after learning it in a pedagogical than in a non‐pedagogical context. This finding was interpreted as evidence that pedagogically transmitted information has a special status as culturally relevant. Here we test the limits of this claim by setting it in contrast with an explanation in which the relevance of information is the outcome of multiple interacting social (e.g., pedagogical demonstration) and non‐social properties (e.g., action complexity). To test these competing hypotheses, we varied both pedagogical cues and action complexity in an information transmission paradigm with 2‐year‐old children. In Experiment 1, children preferentially transmitted simple non‐pedagogically demonstrated actions over pedagogically demonstrated more complex actions. In Experiment 2, when both actions were matched for complexity, we found no evidence of preferential transmission of pedagogically demonstrated actions. We discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy between our results and previous literature showing an effect of pedagogical cues on cultural transmission, and conclude that our results are compatible with the view that pedagogical and other cues interact, but incompatible with the theory of a privileged role for pedagogical cues.
Does culture shape face perception in autism? Cross‐cultural evidence of the own‐race advantage from the UK and Japan
Authors: Hanley Mary , Riby Deborah M. , Derges Michael‐John , Douligeri Anna , Philyaw Zackary , Ikeda Takahiro , Monden Yukifumi , Shimoizumi Hideo , Yamagata Takanori , Hirai Masahiro
Published: January 2020

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with face perception atypicalities, and atypical experience with faces has been proposed as an underlying explanation. Studying the own‐race advantage (ORA) for face recognition can reveal the effect of experience on face perception in ASD, although the small number of studies in the area present mixed findings. This study probed the ORA in ASD by comparing two cultural groups simultaneously for the first time. Children with ASD in the UK (N = 16) and Japan (N = 26) were compared with age‐ and ability‐matched typically developing (TD) children in the UK (N = 16) and Japan (N = 26). Participants completed a two‐alternative forced‐choice task, whereby they had to recognize a just seen face from a foil which was manipulated in one of four ways (IC: identity change; EE: easy eyes; HE: hard eyes; HM: hard mouth). Face stimuli were Asian and Caucasian, and thus the same stimuli were own and other race depending on the cultural group. The ASD groups in the UK and Japan did not show impaired face recognition abilities, or impairments with recognizing faces depending on manipulations to the eye region, and importantly they showed an ORA. There was considerable heterogeneity in the presence of the ORA in ASD and TD and also across cultures. Children in Japan had higher accuracy than children in the UK, and TD children in Japan did not show an ORA. This cross‐cultural study challenges the view that atypical experiences with faces lead to a reduced/absent ORA in ASD.
The mechanism of disaster capitalism and the failure to build community resilience: learning from the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy
Authors: Imperiale Angelo Jonas , Vanclay Frank
Published: January 2020

This paper reflects on what materialised during recovery operations following the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, on 6 April 2009. Previous critiques have focused on the actions of the Government of Italy and the Department of Civil Protection (Protezione Civile), with little attention paid to the role of local authorities. This analysis sheds light on how the latter used emergency powers, the command‐and‐control approach, and top‐down planning to manage the disaster context, especially in terms of removal of rubble, implementing safety measures, and allocating temporary accommodation. It discusses how these arrangements constituted the mechanism via which ‘disaster capitalism’ took hold at the local and national level, and how it violated human rights, produced environmental and social impacts, hindered local communities from learning, transforming, and building resilience, and facilitated disaster capitalism and corruption. To make the disaster risk reduction and resilience paradigm more effective, a shift from centralised civil protection to decentralised, inclusive community empowerment systems is needed.
Misdiagnosis of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery by echocardiography: Single‐center experience from China
Authors: Lin Shan , Xie Mingxing , Lv Qing , Wang Jing , He Lin , Wang Bin , Li Yuman , Xu Lingling , Yang Yali
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To identify the risk factors causing misdiagnosis by echocardiography and missed diagnosis of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA).

Materials and Methods

Echocardiographic results of 16 patients with ALCAPA confirmed by surgery in Union Hospital, Wuhan, were analyzed retrospectively. The influencing factors leading to echocardiographic misdiagnosis were analyzed from the aspects of confusing image characteristics, special pathological anatomy of the left coronary artery (LCA), and operators' working years.

Results

Echocardiography diagnosed 11 cases with an accuracy rate of 68.8%. Five cases were misdiagnosed, three cases as endocardial fibroelastosis, one case as mitral prolapse with severe insufficiency, and one case as coronary‐pulmonary artery fistula. Display rate of the specific echocardiographic features for confirmed group and misdiagnosed group was statistically significantly different（P = .014）. But the working years of the operator for confirmed group and misdiagnosed group were not statistically significantly different（P = .267）. Some special pathological anatomy and pathophysiological features could be also the cause of misdiagnosis.

Conclusions

Echocardiography is the first diagnostic choice of the ALCAPA in China. It is essential for the operator to have the knowledge, diagnostic awareness, and proficiency in manipulation in the accurate interpretation of echocardiography results.
Noncoronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm resembling a cystic cardiac mass
Authors: Sonsoz Mehmet Rasih , Yılmaz Mustafa , Bugra Zehra
Published: January 2020

A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac anomaly, and it is usually clinically silent. However, it may lead to symptoms when it compresses adjacent cardiac structures. Herein, we would like to report a 45‐year‐old lady with exertional dyspnea who was first diagnosed with having a cystic cardiac mass on transthoracic echocardiogram. Then, transesophageal echocardiogram and cardiac computed tomography revealed an unruptured aneurysm of noncoronary sinus of Valsalva.
Nasopalatine canal and periapical radiolucency fusion following dentoalveolar trauma: A CBCT‐based case‐control study
Authors: Jacobs Reinhilde , Shujaat Sohaib , Salvo Natalia , Bornstein Michael M. , Politis Constantinus
Published: January 2020

Background/Aim

There is a lack of evidence regarding the radiological characteristics of a periapical radiolucency (PRL) fusion with the nasopalatine canal (NPC) following dentoalveolar trauma. The aim of this study was to assess the NPC enlargement resulting from fusion with a PRL and its relationship with the surrounding anatomical structures.

Material and methods

A total of 100 patients was retrospectively recruited and divided into two groups: case group and control group. The case group consisted of 50 cone‐beam computed tomography scans of the maxilla of patients (32 males, 18 females; age range: 11‐83 years) with a known history of dentoalveolar trauma in the maxillary anterior region and the presence of an undiagnosed and/or asymptomatic NPC and PRL fusion. An age‐ and gender‐matched control group of 50 patients (32 males, 18 females; age range: 11‐82 years) without trauma history to the upper anterior teeth, demonstrating normal maxillary scans, was recruited. A subjective scoring criterion was established for assessing the characteristics of the fused lesion and its relationship with the buccal/palatal alveolar cortex, nasal cavity cortex, NPC cortical border, and maxillary sinus floor.

Results

The fused NPC and PRL was mainly lobular in appearance (88%) with non‐corticated well‐defined margins (80%). Male patients showed larger (68%) dimensions compared with female patients (32%). The NPC cortical bone was the most commonly perforated structure in relation to fusion (72%), whereas maxillary sinus cortical bone was the least effected (2%). A statistically significant difference was observed between the NPC dimensions in the control and test groups, with fused lesions having larger mesiolateral, craniocaudal, and buccopalatal dimensions (P < .001).

Conclusions

Periapical radiolucencies should be treated as soon as possible before they fuse with NPC. In case of fusion, surgical enucleation should be considered as the treatment of choice.
Evaluation of student‐to‐student local anaesthesia administration at the University of Barcelona: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Sánchez‐Garcés Mª Ángeles , Arnabat‐Domínguez Josep , Camps‐Font Octavi , Toledano‐Serrabona Jorge , Guijarro‐Baude Aina , Gay‐Escoda Cosme
Published: January 2020

Introduction

To determine changes in anxiety perceived in students during their first experience injecting local anaesthetic and assess the variability in the perception in the teaching/learning experience as surgeons and patients in relation to gender.

Material and methods

This cross‐sectional study was carried out on students enrolled in the Anaesthesia and Resuscitation course at the University of Barcelona. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was carried out using McNemar and Fisher tests. The level of significance was set at a P‐value of <.05.

Results

Out of 85 students, a total of 71 responses were obtained. Overall, significant anxiety changes associated with the inferior alveolar nerve block were observed, specifically, before and during (P = .003), before and after (P < .001), and during and after (P < .001) the injection. The calm/relaxed category showed significant differences between before and after (P < .001) and during and after (P < .001) the procedure. Opinions and responses from male and female students differed statistically in relation to the injection on each other as preparation for real work situations (P < .023), recognition of landmarks (P < .001), determination of the insertion points (P = .032) and the need for supervision (P = .043).

Conclusions

This study showed that the overall, students felt more anxious before being injecting with the anaesthetic and the students learning to give the local anaesthetic to each other is an appropriate learning method. No gender‐related differences were observed in the participants.
Cav2.1 C‐terminal fragments produced in Xenopus laevis oocytes do not modify the channel expression and functional properties
Authors: Ménard Claudine , Charnet Pierre , Rousset Matthieu , Vignes Michel , Cens Thierry
Published: January 2020

The sequence and genomic organization of the CACNA1A gene that encodes the Cav2.1 subunit of both P and Q‐type Ca2+ channels are well conserved in mammals. In human, rat and mouse CACNA1A, the use of an alternative acceptor site at the exon 46–47 boundary results in the expression of a long Cav2.1 splice variant. In transfected cells, the long isoform of human Cav2.1 produces a C‐terminal fragment, but it is not known whether this fragment affects Cav2.1 expression or functional properties. Here, we cloned the long isoform of rat Cav2.1 (Cav2.1(e47)) and identified a novel variant with a shorter C‐terminus (Cav2.1(e47s)) that differs from those previously described in the rat and mouse. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, Cav2.1(e47) and Cav2.1(e47s) displayed similar functional properties as the short isoform (Cav2.1). We show that Cav2.1 isoforms produced short (CT1) and long (CT1(e47)) C‐terminal fragments that interacted in vivo with the auxiliary Cavβ4a subunit. Overexpression of the C‐terminal fragments did not affect Cav2.1 expression and functional properties. Furthermore, the functional properties of a Cav2.1 mutant without the C‐terminal Cavβ4 binding domain (Cav2.1ΔCT2) were similar to those of Cav2.1 and were not influenced by the co‐expression of the missing fragments (CT2 or CT2(e47)). Our results exclude a functional role of the C‐terminal fragments in Cav2.1 biophysical properties in an expression system widely used to study this channel.
The rescue effect and inference from isolation–extinction relationships
Authors: Van Schmidt Nathan D. , Beissinger Steven R.
Published: January 2020

The rescue effect in metapopulations hypothesises that less isolated patches are unlikely to go extinct because recolonisation may occur between breeding seasons (‘recolonisation rescue’), or immigrants may sufficiently bolster population size to prevent extinction altogether (‘demographic rescue’). These mechanisms have rarely been demonstrated directly, and most evidence of the rescue effect is from relationships between isolation and extinction. We determined the frequency of recolonisation rescue for metapopulations of black rails (Laterallus jamaicensis) and Virginia rails (Rallus limicola) from occupancy surveys conducted during and between breeding seasons, and assessed the reliability of inferences about the occurrence of rescue drawn from isolation–extinction relationships, including autologistic isolation measures that corrected for unsurveyed patches and imperfect detection. Recolonisation rescue occurred at expected rates, but was elevated during periods of disturbance that resulted in non‐equilibrium metapopulation dynamics. Inferences from extinction–isolation relationships were unreliable, particularly for autologistic measures and for the more vagile Virginia rail.
Audiogenic seizure as a model of sudden death in epilepsy: A comparative study between four inbred mouse strains from early life to adulthood
Authors: Martin Benoît , Dieuset Gabriel , Pawluski Jodi L. , Costet Nathalie , Biraben Arnaud
Published: January 2020

Objective

Mouse models of sudden unexpected death in epileptic patients (SUDEP) using audiogenic seizures (AGS) are valuable because death can occur following a sound‐induced seizure in the absence of any pharmacologic or electric component. However, only a few strains of mice are AGS prone, and the vast majority of studies involve DBA/2 or DBA/1 inbred strains. With the goal of characterizing the variation of AGS susceptibility with age, and of offering a larger panel of mice available for AGS studies, we performed a comparative study of the variability in AGS responses.

Methods

The variation of AGS with age was determined in two classically used inbred strains of mice, DBA/2 and DBA/1, and two additional strains, BALB/c and 129/SvTer. As AGS‐stimulated tonic seizures can be lethal or nonlethal, even in the same inbred strain, in a second experiment, we addressed whether there is an innate capacity to reproduce the same response after a tonic AGS, referred to as “determinism,” in the DBA/2J, DBA/1J, and 129/SvTer mouse strains.

Results

Results show that the 129/SvTer mouse is a more versatile model of SUDEP due to its wider age range of susceptibility compared to the DBA/2J and DBA/1J mouse strains. In addition, we show that determinism is not consistently evident in DBA/2J and 129/SvTer strains after AGS. Hence, one cannot be certain that a lethal AGS will always be lethal in successive testing after resuscitation and vice versa in these two mouse strains.

Significance

These studies highlight the phenotypic variability of AGS in different mouse strains, show the value of an additional mouse strain, 129/SvTer, for studies using AGS, and thus provide valuable information for future studies of AGS and SUDEP.
Exacerbation of hepatic cirrhosis may trigger admission for epilepsy and status epilepticus
Authors: Gursky Jonathan M. , Rossi Kyle C. , Jetté Nathalie , Dhamoon Mandip S.
Published: January 2020

Objective

To determine whether acute exacerbations of cirrhotic liver disease are associated with higher odds of readmission for epilepsy or status epilepticus.

Methods

The New York State Inpatient Database is a statewide dataset containing data on 97% of hospitalizations for New York State. In this retrospective, case‐crossover design study, we used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes to identify index status epilepticus and epilepsy admissions. The primary exposure was defined as admission due to an acute exacerbation of cirrhotic liver disease. The case‐crossover analysis tested whether exposure to a hepatic exacerbation within progressively longer case periods (14, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days before index admission), compared to control periods 1 year before the case period, was associated with readmission for epilepsy or status epilepticus.

Results

The odds ratio for subsequent admission for epilepsy after exposure to an acute exacerbation of cirrhotic liver disease was significant in the 30‐day window at 2.072 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.095‐3.92,P = .0252) and peaked in the 150‐day window at 2.742 (95% CI = 1.817‐4.137,P < .0001). In the status epilepticus group, all case periods demonstrated significantly elevated odds of subsequent admission following hepatic exacerbation.

Significance

Hepatic exacerbations are associated with increased odds for hospital admissions for epilepsy and status epilepticus across several timeframes.
Amyloid protein aggregates: new clients for mitochondrial energy production in the brain?
Authors: Sivanesan Senthilkumar , Chang Edwin , Howell Mathew D. , Rajadas Jayakumar
Published: January 2020

Mitochondria are key organelles, which maintain energy metabolism and cellular homeostasis. Mitochondria support transcriptional regulation and proteostatic signaling mechanisms through crosstalk between the mitochondria itself, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to impaired proteostasis, and both are key pathological features of age‐related neurological disorders. For example, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases feature mitochondrial‐targeted protein aggregates and impaired mitochondrial function, although the mechanistic causes are poorly understood. Vascular abnormalities and hypometabolism in such neurological diseases are reported several years before key clinical disease symptoms even become apparent. Recent investigations suggest that processing of such aggregates within mitochondria can offer protective functions, specifically by restoring energy (ATP) in starving cells. We hypothesize that the accumulation of protein aggregates in mitochondria can not only disrupt its functions, but also render a protective role to fulfill energy demands in hypometabolic conditions. Growing evidence favors mitochondrial defense to toxic amyloid aggregates/oligomers as a protective response. In this viewpoint article, we will present several publications (in addition to our own) that serve to connect the possible role of protein aggregates in mitochondrial energy production for degenerative conditions.
A comparative study of fatigue estimation methods for single‐spot and multispot welds
Authors: Yang Long , Yang Bing , Yang Guangwu , Xiao Shoune , Zhu Tao , Wang Feng
Published: January 2020

Fatigue life and load data of spot‐welded samples were obtained by performing tensile‐shear fatigue tests on single‐spot‐welded samples, and by collecting published data on tensile‐shear fatigue tests of multispot‐welded samples. Finite element models of the spot‐welded samples were then constructed, and their accuracy was validated by comparing their results with those of static loading tests. Methods to estimate fatigue in spot‐welded joints proposed by Sheppard, Rupp, and Swellam were used to predict the fatigue life of each sample, and their results were compared. The sensitivity of each method to spot‐welding parameters, as well as the arrangement and number of welded spots, was analyzed to obtain their scope of applicability. Finally, the Sheppard and Rupp methods were used to obtain fitted fatigue curves of each spot‐welded sample, and the equivalent life method was used to generate P‐S‐N curves of the single‐spot‐ and multispot‐welded samples. This method can serve as a useful reference for fatigue reliability analyses of mechanical parts with spot‐welded joints.