Functional connectivity during facial and vocal emotion recognition: Preliminary evidence for dissociations in developmental change by nonverbal modality.

The developmental trajectory of emotion recognition (ER) skills is thought to vary by nonverbal modality, with vocal ER becoming mature later than facial ER. To investigate potential neural mechanisms contributing to this dissociation at a behavioural level, the current study examined whether youth's neural functional connectivity during vocal and facial ER tasks showed differential developmental change across time. Youth ages 8-19 (n = 41) completed facial and vocal ER tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, at two timepoints (1 year apart; n = 36 for behavioural data, n = 28 for neural data). Partial least squares analyses revealed that functional connectivity during ER is both distinguishable by modality (with different patterns of connectivity for facial vs. vocal ER) and across time-with changes in connectivity being particularly pronounced for vocal ER. ER accuracy was greater for faces than voices, and positively associated with age; although task performance did not change appreciably across a 1-year period, changes in latent functional connectivity patterns across time predicted participants' ER accuracy at Time 2. Taken together, these results suggest that vocal and facial ER are supported by distinguishable neural correlates that may undergo different developmental trajectories. Our findings are also preliminary evidence that changes in network integration may support the development of ER skills in childhood and adolescence.

Genetics of phenological development and implications for seed yield in lentil.

Understanding phenology, its genetics and agronomic consequences, is critical for crop adaptation. Here we aim at (1) characterising lentil response to photoperiod with a focus on five loci: the lentil ELF3 ortholog Sn, two loci linked to clusters of lentil FT orthologs and two loci without candidates in chromosomes 2 and 5 (exp. 1: 36 lines, short and long day in phytotron); (2) establishing phenology-yield relationship (exp. 2: 25 lines, 11 field environments). A vintage perspective, where we quantify time trends in phenotype over three decades of breeding, links both experiments. Yield increased linearly from older to newer varieties at 29 kg ha-1 yr-1 or 1.5% yr-1, correlated negatively with flowering time in both winter- and summer-rainfall regimes, and decoupled from biomass in favourable environments. Time to flowering shortened from older to newer varieties at -0.56 % yr-1 in the field, and -0.42 % yr-1 (short day) and -0.99 % yr-1 (long day) in the phytotron. Early-flowering lines of diverse origin carried multiple early alleles for the five loci, indicating that at least some of these loci affect phenology additively. Current germplasm primarily features the early flowering haplotype for an FTb cluster region, hence the potential to increase phenological diversity with yield implications.

Social brain networks: Resting-state and task-based connectivity in youth with and without epilepsy.

Individuals with epilepsy often experience social difficulties and deficits in social cognition. It remains unknown how disruptions to neural networks underlying such skills may contribute to this clinical phenotype. The current study compared the organization of relevant brain circuits-the "mentalizing network" and a salience-related network centered on the amygdala-in youth with and without epilepsy. Functional connectivity between the nodes of these networks was assessed, both at rest and during engagement in a social cognitive task (facial emotion recognition), using functional magnetic resonance imaging. There were no group differences in resting-state connectivity within either neural network. In contrast, youth with epilepsy showed comparatively lower connectivity between the left posterior superior temporal sulcus and the medial prefrontal cortex-but greater connectivity within the left temporal lobe-when viewing faces in the task. These findings suggest that the organization of a mentalizing network underpinning social cognition may be disrupted in youth with epilepsy, though differences in connectivity within this circuit may shift depending on task demands. Our results highlight the importance of considering functional task-based engagement of neural systems in characterizations of network dysfunction in epilepsy.

COVID-19: Initial experience of an international group of hand surgeons.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected medical treatment protocols throughout the world. While the pandemic does not affect hand surgeons at first glance, they have a role to play. The purpose of this study was to describe the different measures that have been put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by hand surgeons throughout the world. The survey comprised 47 surgeons working in 34 countries who responded to an online questionnaire. We found that the protocols varied in terms of visitors, health professionals in the operating room, patient waiting areas, wards and emergency rooms. Based on these preliminary findings, an international consensus on hand surgery practices for the current viral pandemic, and future ones, needs to be built rapidly.

The effect of fresh gas flow during induction of anaesthesia on sevoflurane usage: a quality improvement study.

Reducing fresh gas flow during inhalational anaesthesia results in cost savings and decreases environmental impact. We are interested in the influence of fresh gas flow on the early (induction) phase of overall fresh gas flow and vapour consumption. This stage is often excluded in studies of fresh gas flow. Data were collected from 3199 sevoflurane anaesthetics over an 11-month period in four operating theatres. We determined fresh gas flow at different stages of anaesthesia, and developed an explanatory model for the influence of the 'induction' period. Following a three-month collection of baseline data we emphasised the importance of the early phase to our department repeatedly over a two-week period. We explored the relationship between fresh gas flow and total vapour usage, and used a simple mathematical model to explore the effect of changes in the fresh gas flow and duration of the 'induction' phase. Mean fresh gas flow was 1.15 l.min-1 in the baseline period and 0.91 l.min-1 in the two months following our educational effort (p = 0.0005). In the following six months, mean fresh gas flow was 1.17 l.min-1 (p = 0.7726 compared with baseline). These results were driven by changes in both fresh gas flow and duration of the initial high-flow period. We found some correlation (R2  = 0.85) between overall fresh gas flow and vapour consumption; a 1 l.min-1 increase in fresh gas flow consumes an additional 18 ml.hr-1 of liquid sevoflurane. This preliminary study demonstrates that an episode of high fresh gas flow at the start of anaesthesia has a large and modifiable effect on overall fresh gas flow and vapour consumption. We also confirmed the linear relationship between fresh gas flow and vapour usage.

The seventh inner moon of Neptune.

During its 1989 flyby, the Voyager 2 spacecraft imaged six small moons of Neptune, all with orbits well interior to that of the large, retrograde moon Triton1. Along with a set of nearby rings, these moons are probably younger than Neptune itself; they formed shortly after the capture of Triton and most of them have probably been fragmented multiple times by cometary impacts1-3. Here we report Hubble Space Telescope observations of a seventh inner moon, Hippocamp. It is smaller than the other six, with a mean radius of about 17 kilometres. We also observe Naiad, Neptune's innermost moon, which was last seen in 1989, and provide astrometry, orbit determinations and size estimates for all the inner moons, using an analysis technique that involves distorting consecutive images to compensate for each moon's orbital motion and that is potentially applicable to searches for other moons and exoplanets. Hippocamp orbits close to Proteus, the outermost and largest of these moons, and the orbital semimajor axes of the two moons differ by only ten per cent. Proteus has migrated outwards because of tidal interactions with Neptune. Our results suggest that Hippocamp is probably an ancient fragment of Proteus, providing further support for the hypothesis that the inner Neptune system has been shaped by numerous impacts.

Immunological Methods to Study Monoclonal Antibody Activity in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia.

Over recent decades it has become increasingly apparent that malignant cells, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells, do not exist in isolation. Rather they coalesce with numerous "normal" cells of the body and, in the case of CLL, inhabit key immunological niches within secondary lymphoid organs (SLO), where a plethora of stromal and immune cells mediate their growth and survival. With the advent and approval of targeted immune therapies such as monoclonal antibodies (mAb), which elicit their efficacy by engaging immune-mediated effector mechanisms, it is important to develop accurate methods to measure their activities. Here, we describe a series of reliable assays capable of measuring important antibody-mediated effector functions: antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) that measure these immune activities.

Intentional use of carbapenem antibiotics for valproic acid toxicity: A case report.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The interaction between valproic acid (VPA) and carbapenem antibiotics is well described with previous reports suggesting a reduction in VPA half-life between 47% and 90%. As described in this case, this interaction might be beneficial in the setting of toxic VPA ingestion. CASE DESCRIPTION: An intubated, unresponsive patient arrived via emergency medical services after toxic VPA ingestion. Meropenem was prescribed for a suspected pneumonia and to take advantage of the VPA interaction. We observed a 56% decline in half-life with short-term meropenem dosing and an improvement in mental status shortly after administration. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a potential role for short-term carbapenem therapy for VPA overdose.

Civilian and military doctors' knowledge of tranexamic acid (TXA) use in major trauma: a comparison study.

INTRODUCTION: Tranexamic acid (TXA) administration within the recommended time of 3 hours has been demonstrated to improve outcomes following trauma. The aim of this study was to identify potential knowledge gaps in the administration of TXA in order to target further educational training in those doctors responsible for the management of acute trauma. METHODS: 104 military and 852 civilian doctors were invited to complete a four-item web-based questionnaire pertaining to the indications, dose, side effects and evidence base for TXA administration in trauma. Doctors of all grades and surgical specialties including emergency trainees and anaesthetics were surveyed. RESULTS: 65 military and 460 civilian doctors responded with a response rate of 62% and 54%, respectively. Responses were required for every question to allow progression and submission. 93% of military doctors knew the initial dose of TXA compared with 34% of civilian doctors. The Clinical randomisation of an Antifibrinolytic in Significant Haemorrhage (CRASH) 2 trial was known to 91% of military doctors compared with 24% of civilian doctors. The optimal time for delivery of TXA in under 3 hours was correctly identified by 91% of military doctors compared with 10% by civilian doctors. DISCUSSION: Military doctors are more familiar with TXA and its side effect profile. Given the potential impact of TXA on patient outcome and the findings of this study, further education of all doctors is recommended including dose, timing and potential side effects.

An evaluation of the effects of intensity and duration on outcomes across treatment domains for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is considered an effective treatment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and many researchers have further investigated factors associated with treatment outcomes. However, few studies have focused on whether treatment intensity and duration have differential influences on separate skills. The aim of the current study was to investigate how treatment intensity and duration impact learning across different treatment domains, including academic, adaptive, cognitive, executive function, language, motor, play, and social. Separate multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate these relationships. Participants included 1468 children with ASD, ages 18 months to 12 years old, M=7.57 years, s.d.=2.37, who were receiving individualized ABA services. The results indicated that treatment intensity and duration were both significant predictors of mastered learning objectives across all eight treatment domains. The academic and language domains showed the strongest response, with effect sizes of 1.68 and 1.85 for treatment intensity and 4.70 and 9.02 for treatment duration, respectively. These findings are consistent with previous research that total dosage of treatment positively influences outcomes. The current study also expands on extant literature by providing a better understanding of the differential impact that these treatment variables have across various treatment domains.

Trends in the use of emergency contraception in Britain: evidence from the second and third National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the changes in the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, the use of emergency contraception (EC) in Britain between 2000 and 2010, spanning the period of deregulation and increase in pharmacy supply. DESIGN: Cross-sectional probability sample surveys. SETTING AND POPULATION: British general population. METHODS: Data were analysed from the second and third British National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal), undertaken in 1999-2001 and 2010-12. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to measure change in EC use amongst sexually active women aged 16-44 years not intending pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of EC use and factors associated with use. RESULTS: Of the 5430 women surveyed in 1999-2001 and the 4825 women surveyed in 2010-12, 2.3 and 3.6%, respectively, reported using EC in the year prior to interview (P = 0.0019 for change over time). The prevalence of EC use increased amongst single women and those with higher educational attainment (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 1.04-2.20; P = 0.0308). Increases in EC use were generally greater among women without behavioural risk factors, such as those with no history of abortion within 5 years (aOR 1.57; 95% CI 1.17-2.12; P = 0.0029), or those whose first heterosexual intercourse occurred after the age of 16 years (aOR 1.68; 95% CI 1.21-2.35; P = 0.0021). The increase in EC use was also more marked among women usually accessing contraception from retail sources than among those doing so from healthcare sources, which may reflect a use of condoms amongst EC users. CONCLUSION: The increase in EC use among women in Britain in the first decade of the 21st century was associated with some, but not all, risk factors for unplanned pregnancy. Advice and provision may need to be targeted at those at highest risk of unplanned pregnancy. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Despite pharmacy access, only a small rise in emergency contraception use has been seen in Britain over 10 years.

A novel protein isoform of the RON tyrosine kinase receptor transforms human pancreatic duct epithelial cells.

The MST1R gene is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer producing elevated levels of the RON tyrosine kinase receptor protein. While mutations in MST1R are rare, alternative splice variants have been previously reported in epithelial cancers. We report the discovery of a novel RON isoform discovered in human pancreatic cancer. Partial splicing of exons 5 and 6 (P5P6) produces a RON isoform that lacks the first extracellular immunoglobulin-plexin-transcription domain. The splice variant is detected in 73% of xenografts derived from pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients and 71% of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Peptides specific to RON P5P6 detected in human pancreatic cancer specimens by mass spectrometry confirm translation of the protein isoform. The P5P6 isoform is found to be constitutively phosphorylated, present in the cytoplasm, and it traffics to the plasma membrane. Expression of P5P6 in immortalized human pancreatic duct epithelial (HPDE) cells activates downstream AKT, and in human pancreatic epithelial nestin-expressing cells, activates both the AKT and MAPK pathways. Inhibiting RON P5P6 in HPDE cells using a small molecule inhibitor BMS-777607 blocked constitutive activation and decreased AKT signaling. P5P6 transforms NIH3T3 cells and induces tumorigenicity in HPDE cells. Resultant HPDE-P5P6 tumors develop a dense stromal compartment similar to that seen in pancreatic cancer. In summary, we have identified a novel and constitutively active isoform of the RON tyrosine kinase receptor that has transforming activity and is expressed in human pancreatic cancer. These findings provide additional insight into the biology of the RON receptor in pancreatic cancer and are clinically relevant to the study of RON as a potential therapeutic target.

Role of Combined Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Axillary Node Sampling in Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer.

Axillary lymph node status is a prognostic marker in breast cancer management, and axillary surgery plays an important role in staging and local control. This study aims to assess whether a combination of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) using patent blue dye and axillary node sampling (ANS) offers equivalent identification rate to dual tracer technique. Furthermore, we aim to investigate whether there are any potential benefits to this combined technique. Retrospective study of 230 clinically node-negative patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery for single T1-T3 tumours between 2006 and 2011. Axillae were staged using a combined blue dye SLNB/ANS technique. SLNs were localized in 226/230 (identification rate 98.3 %). Three of one hundred ninety-two patients with a negative SLN were found to have positive ANS nodes and 1/4 failed SLNB patients had positive ANS nodes. Thirty-four of two hundred twenty-six patients had SLN metastases and 11/34 (32.4 %) also had a positive non-sentinel lymph node on ANS. Twenty-one of twenty-four (87.5 %) node-positive T1 tumours had single node involvement. Nine of thirty-eight node-positive patients progressed to completion axillary clearance (cALND), and the rest were treated with axillary radiotherapy. Axillary recurrence was nil at median 5 year follow-up. Complementing SLNB with axillary node sampling (ANS) decreases the unavoidable false-negative rate associated with SLNB. Appropriate operator experience and technique can result in an SLN localization rate of 98 %, rivalling a dual tracer technique. The additional insight offered by ANS into the status of non-sentinel nodes has potential applications in an era of less frequent cALND.

A classification study of kinematic gait trajectories in hip osteoarthritis.

The clinical evaluation of patients in hip osteoarthritis is often done using patient questionnaires. While this provides important information it is also necessary to continue developing objective measures. In this work we further investigate the studies concerning the use of 3D gait analysis to attain this goal. The gait analysis was associated with machine learning methods in order to provide a direct measure of patient control gait discrimination. The applied machine learning method was the support vector machine (SVM). Applying the SVM on all the measured kinematic trajectories, we were able to classify individual patient and control gait cycles with a mean success rate of 88%. With the use of an ROC curve to establish the threshold number of cycles necessary for a subject to be identified as a patient, this allowed for an accuracy of higher than 90% for discriminating patient and control subjects. We then went on to determine the importance of each trajectory. By ranking the capacity of each trajectory for this discrimination, we provided a guide on their order of importance in evaluating patient severity. In order to be clinically relevant, any measure of patient deficit must be compared with clinically validated scores of functional disability. In the case of hip osteoarthritis (OA), the WOMAC scores are currently one of the most widely accepted clinical scores for quantifying OA severity. The kinematic trajectories that provided the best patient-control discrimination with the SVM were found to correlate well but imperfectly with the WOMAC scores, hence indicating the presence of complementary information in the two.

A ten-year audit of fresh gas flows in a New Zealand hospital: the influence of the introduction of automated agent delivery and comparisons with other hospitals.

Reducing fresh gas flow (FGF) rates with volatile anaesthetics reduces waste, with positive financial and environmental consequences. We have audited FGF since 2001 by analysis of data collected from anaesthetic machines. We recently introduced Aisys(®) (GE Healthcare, Madison, WI, USA) machines that allow automated control of end-tidal levels of volatile anaesthetics. In 2009 the mean FGF was 1.27 l/minute, which was lower than 2001 (2.05 l/minute) and 2006 (1.43 l/minute) and similar to two other New Zealand hospitals. Following introduction of the Aisys(®), mean FGF initially increased to 1.5 l/minute, but fell to 1.09 l/minute over the following 12 months. Median FGF showed a similar pattern and is now <600 ml/minute. Since introduction of the Aisys(®) workstation the proportion of time with flow rates >4 l/minute has increased. The proportion of time spent in automated delivery mode has increased from 35% to 63%. Users valued the workload reduction with end-tidal control. Our findings suggest that in daily practice, with a wide range of practitioners at different levels of training and a broad patient mix, mean flow rates of around 1.3 l/minute with median flows in the range 0.5 to 1.0 l/minute are achievable targets.

Quantification of Yield Loss Caused by Triticum mosaic virus and Wheat streak mosaic virus in Winter Wheat Under Field Conditions.

Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) and Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) infect winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the Great Plains region of the United States. The two viruses are transmitted by wheat curl mites (Aceria tosichella), which also transmit High Plains virus. In a field study conducted in 2011 and 2012, winter wheat cultivars Millennium (WSMV-susceptible) and Mace (WSMV-resistant) were mechanically inoculated with TriMV, WSMV, TriMV+WSMV, or sterile water at the two-leaf growth stage. Chlorophyll meter (soil plant analysis development [SPAD]) readings, area under the SPAD progress curve (AUSPC), grain yield (=yield), yield components (spikes/m2, kernels/spike, 1,000-kernel weight), and aerial dry matter were determined. In Millennium, all measured variables were significantly reduced by single or double virus inoculation, with the greatest reductions occurring in the double-inoculated treatment. Among the yield components, the greatest reductions occurred in spikes/m2. In Mace, only AUSPC was significantly reduced by the TriMV+WSMV treatment in 2012. There was a significant (P ≤ 0.05), negative linear relationship between SPAD readings and day of year in all inoculation treatments in Millennium and in the TriMV+WSMV treatment in Mace. There were significant (P ≤ 0.05), positive linear relationships between yield and SPAD readings and between yield and aerial dry matter in Millennium but not in Mace. The results from this study indicate that under field conditions, (i) Mace, a WSMV-resistant cultivar, is also resistant to TriMV, and (ii) double inoculation of winter wheat by TriMV and WSMV exacerbates symptom expression and yield loss in a susceptible cultivar.

Aspects of the biology of Galaxias maculatus.

The biology of three landlocked and a riverine population of Galaxias maculatus were examined in western Victoria, Australia. All systems supported reproducing populations of these fish, including Lake Corangamite which had salinities that on occasion reached 82. Spawning sites in Lake Corangamite were located in adjacent tributaries and not in the main lake as was the case for other populations. The smallest fish were found in the fresh water Lake Purrumbete and the largest in the hypersaline Lake Corangamite. The size at which 50% of the population attained sexual maturity varied across sites, with fish maturing at a smaller size in Lake Purrumbete, followed by the Merri River, Lake Bullen Merri and Lake Corangamite. Condition was higher in the freshwater Lake Purrumbete and there was no relationship between condition and temperature, conductivity, turbidity and pH; but there was a positive relationship between condition and dissolved oxygen. Length frequency analysis suggested that the majority of fishes live for a year.

Effective size of a wild salmonid population is greatly reduced by hatchery supplementation.

Many declining and commercially important populations are supplemented with captive-born individuals that are intentionally released into the wild. These supplementation programs often create large numbers of offspring from relatively few breeding adults, which can have substantial population-level effects. We examined the genetic effects of supplementation on a wild population of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from the Hood River, Oregon, by matching 12 run-years of hatchery steelhead back to their broodstock parents. We show that the effective number of breeders producing the hatchery fish (broodstock parents; N(b)) was quite small (harmonic mean N(b)=25 fish per brood-year vs 373 for wild fish), and was exacerbated by a high variance in broodstock reproductive success among individuals within years. The low N(b) caused hatchery fish to have decreased allelic richness, increased average relatedness, more loci in linkage disequilibrium and substantial levels of genetic drift in comparison with their wild-born counterparts. We also documented a substantial Ryman-Laikre effect whereby the additional hatchery fish doubled the total number of adult fish on the spawning grounds each year, but cut the effective population size of the total population (wild and hatchery fish combined) by nearly two-thirds. We further demonstrate that the Ryman-Laikre effect is most severe in this population when (1) >10% of fish allowed onto spawning grounds are from hatcheries and (2) the hatchery fish have high reproductive success in the wild. These results emphasize the trade-offs that arise when supplementation programs attempt to balance disparate goals (increasing production while maintaining genetic diversity and fitness).

Effects of Single and Double Infections of Winter Wheat by Triticum mosaic virus and Wheat streak mosaic virus on Yield Determinants.

Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) is a recently discovered virus infecting wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the Great Plains region of the United States. It is transmitted by wheat curl mites (Aceria tosichella) which also transmit Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Wheat mosaic virus. In a greenhouse study, winter wheat 'Millennium' (WSMV susceptible) and 'Mace' (WSMV resistant) were mechanically inoculated with TriMV, WSMV, TriMV+WSMV, or sterile water at the two-leaf growth stage. At 28 days after inoculation, final chlorophyll meter (soil plant analysis development [SPAD]) readings, area under the SPAD progress curve (AUSPC), the number of tillers per plant, shoot and root weight, and total nitrogen and carbon content were determined. In Millennium, all measured variables were significantly reduced by single or double virus infections, with the greatest reductions occurring in the double-infection treatment. In Mace, only final SPAD readings, AUSPC, and total nitrogen were significantly reduced by single or double virus infections. There was a significant (P ≤ 0.05), positive linear relationship between SPAD readings and shoot weight in Millennium but not in Mace. The relationship between total nitrogen and shoot weight was positive, linear, and significant in both cultivars. The results from this study indicate that Mace, a WSMV-resistant cultivar, is also resistant to TriMV, and double infection of winter wheat by TriMV and WSMV exacerbates symptom expression and loss of biomass in susceptible cultivars.