@article {pmid42366153,
year = {2026},
author = {Newen, A and Griem, M and Huber, L and Bugnyar, T and Blaisdell, A and Pika, S},
title = {Animal empathy reconsidered: a multidimensional profile account.},
journal = {Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/brv.70196},
pmid = {42366153},
issn = {1469-185X},
support = {GRK 2185/2//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; NE 576/14-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; },
abstract = {Empathy is the glue that holds societies together and yet several fundamental questions about empathy persist. What is empathy (the definitional question)? Is it uniquely human and, if not, which nonhuman animals possess empathy (the distribution question)? Which type or quality of empathy is realized in different species (the quality question)? To tackle these three questions, we developed a species-sensitive, multidimensional profile account of empathy. The main function of this account is to enable cross-species comparisons and to capture the rich variety of typical empathetic phenomena. Therefore, we aim to characterize behaviour-based cognitive profiles of empathy which are built on multifactorial characterizations of the dimensions of empathy and of the features realizing these dimensions. The distribution question can be answered by assessing family resemblances of profiles of empathy to paradigmatic cases of empathy. Answers to the quality question can be provided with reference to the relevant empathy profile, which allows us to describe and predict associated behaviours. To gain an initial understanding of the feasibility of this framework for interspecies comparisons, we applied it to four groups of animals: rodents, apes, canids and corvids. Comparing these groups, we demonstrate that each species has a specific empathy profile which has a predictive power: in complex situations requiring empathy, distinct profiles will result in more distinct behavioural responses whereas similar profiles will result in more similar responses, even among phylogenetically distinct groups. This new multidimensional profile account enables fine-grained comparisons within and between species instead of the prevailing all or nothing perspectives of empathy. Furthermore, it offers the integration of phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspectives thereby providing a crucial tool to explicate the notion of empathy to humans and other animals in a species-sensitive way. We demonstrate this framework by applying it specifically to empathy, and the framework's advantages invite it to be generalized to all rich and flexible cognitive abilities in nonhuman animals.},
}

@article {pmid41779064,
year = {2026},
author = {de Oliveira Campos, H},
title = {Engagement is more than a checkbox: a patient's perspective.},
journal = {Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation},
volume = {35},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1007/s11136-026-04187-y},
pmid = {41779064},
issn = {1573-2649},
mesh = {Humans ; *Patient Participation/psychology ; *Quality of Life ; Patient Advocacy ; },
abstract = {Quality of Life Research recently introduced an author statement inviting researchers to describe how their studies engaged people with lived experience. This commentary responds to that statement from the perspective of a patient advocate and long-standing research partner. While the statement represents a hopeful development, asking about engagement at manuscript submission risks reducing partnership to a retrospective checkbox. Drawing on experiences ranging from transformative to tokenistic, this piece argues that meaningful engagement requires intention from the start, a willingness to share power, and governance structures that give patient partners real influence over research decisions. Using Jay Katz’s concept of “inevitable conflict” as a framework, the commentary explores what patients uniquely contribute and offers concrete recommendations for researchers seeking to move beyond symbolic participation. Engagement that does not redistribute power is not partnership.},
}

Humans
*Patient Participation/psychology
*Quality of Life
Patient Advocacy

@article {pmid42339238,
year = {2025},
author = {Pendleton, JRL and Clayton, NS},
title = {Time in mind: a multidisciplinary review on temporal perception, cognition, and memory.},
journal = {Frontiers in cognition},
volume = {4},
number = {},
pages = {1688754},
pmid = {42339238},
issn = {2813-4532},
abstract = {This review examines temporal cognition through the lens of Mental Time Travel (MTT): the subjective experience of recalling past events and using them to construct future scenarios. The analysis specifically addresses how language and cultural context affect these abilities, integrating psychology, linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and anthropology. Findings from comparative cognition challenge whether they are uniquely human. Although such an approach was traditionally taken in non-human primates, the field of comparative cognition has become much more diverse. Comparative insights derived from studies of corvid and cephalopod cognition are particularly pertinent, as they suggest these abilities have evolved more widely within the animal kingdom, especially in groups with very different neural architectures, raising questions about whether these abilities have evolved convergently in species undergoing similar selection pressures or independently in those subject to different selection pressures, as opposed to homologous evolution widespread amongst these animal taxa. These evolutionary perspectives inform theories of human temporal cognition and Mental Time Travel, influencing memory encoding and retrieval processes, false memory production, as well as the mechanisms underlying temporal cognition, such as episodic memory formation, interval timing, and circadian modulation of memory consolidation. Additionally, the review evaluates evidence on the cognitive impact of technological tools (calendars, clocks, and other technologies) used to externalize and standardize temporal frameworks, including implications for subjective perception and memory accuracy, and identifies directions for future interdisciplinary research. Building on this synthesis, we advance five core claims: that elements of temporal cognition likely arise under convergent evolutionary pressures; that language, culture, and social organization tune how people represent and use time; that technologies which externalize time can reshape behavior by aligning with or pulling against internally constructed event time; that memory is adaptively biased toward flexible, future-oriented construction rather than veridical record; and that these processes are structured by "mind time" and extended via transpersonal extended mental time travel, whereby shared representations support the projection and coordination of futures across individuals and generations.},
}

@article {pmid42036448,
year = {2026},
author = {Jorge, MH and Jorge, LA and Jarosinski, D and Chandler, RB and D'Angelo, GJ and Ruder, MG and Chamberlain, MJ},
title = {White-tailed deer scavenging community in a chronic wasting disease-endemic region and considerations for prion movement.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42036448},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {AR-W-F20AF00265//Arkansas Game and Fish Commission/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Wasting Disease, Chronic/transmission/epidemiology ; *Deer/physiology ; *Prions/metabolism ; Arkansas/epidemiology ; Feeding Behavior ; },
abstract = {Scavengers impact the geographic spread of pathogens through complex interactions that can either decrease or increase the risk of transmission. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy fatal to cervids and has been detected throughout much of the United States and internationally. Chronic wasting disease prions have long environmental persistence, and some scavengers have been shown to pass infectious CWD prions through their digestive tracts. We designed a study in a CWD-endemic area of northwestern Arkansas, to determine which scavengers routinely fed on white-tailed deer carcasses and therefore have the potential to be involved in movement or sequestration of CWD prions. Using videos from game cameras, we recorded 25 species that visited white-tailed deer carcasses and calculated abundance, presence duration, and feeding rate. American crows had the greatest number of individuals per video (5.33, 95% CI 3.88-7.32), followed by turkey vultures (3.03, 2.21-4.16), and black vultures (2.94, 2.14-4.04). Black vultures had the longest bout duration in minutes (10.46, 8.01-13.67), followed by bald eagles (9.00, 6.88-11.77) and turkey vultures (8.45, 6.47-11.04). Bald eagles (50%, 38-62%), black vultures (49%, 40-58%), and American black bears (45%, 33-56%) spent the greatest proportion of time feeding, respectively. Species rank varied across metrics, but the average of the three measurements indicated that black vultures, bald eagles, and turkey vultures had the greatest potential to ingest and potentially move CWD prions. Our research highlights the need to experimentally evaluate more avian scavengers for the potential to spread infectious prions.},
}

Animals
*Wasting Disease, Chronic/transmission/epidemiology
*Deer/physiology
*Prions/metabolism
Arkansas/epidemiology
Feeding Behavior

@article {pmid28776480,
year = {2018},
author = {Spaccavento, S and Cafforio, E and Cellamare, F and Colucci, A and Di Palma, A and Falcone, R and Craca, A and Loverre, A and Nardulli, R and Glueckauf, RL},
title = {Italian adaptation of the functional outcome questionnaire - aphasia: initial psychometric evaluation.},
journal = {Disability and rehabilitation},
volume = {40},
number = {24},
pages = {2925-2930},
doi = {10.1080/09638288.2017.1362042},
pmid = {28776480},
issn = {1464-5165},
mesh = {Adult ; *Aphasia/diagnosis/psychology/rehabilitation ; Caregivers/psychology ; Communication ; Female ; Humans ; Italy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment, Health Care/*methods ; Psychometrics/*methods ; *Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Stroke/*psychology ; Stroke Rehabilitation/*methods ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translations ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia.

METHODS: Two hundred and five persons with stroke-related aphasia and right hemiparesis who received ongoing assistance from a family caregiver were assessed using the Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia, Aachener Aphasie Test, Token Test, Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Functional Assessment Measure (FAM), and Quality of Life Questionnaire for Aphasics (QLQA). The Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia was translated into the Italian language using a translation and back-translation method. Reliability and construct validity of the Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia were evaluated.

RESULTS: The Italian version of the Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the overall scale (α = 0.98; ICC = 0.95) and subscales (α = 0.89 for the communicating basic needs (CBN), α = 0.92 for the making routine requests (MRR), α = 0.96 for the communicating new information (CNI), α = 0.93 for the attention/other communication skills (AO); ICC = 0.95 for CBN, ICC = 0.96 for MRR, ICC = 0.97 for CNI and ICC = 0.92 for AO). Significant correlations were found between the Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia and Token Test, QLQA, Aachener Aphasie Test scores, and FAM linguistic scores, indicating good convergent validity. Low correlations were found between Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices and FIM motor scores, showing good discriminant validity.

CONCLUSIONS: The overall findings of this study supported the reliability and construct validity of the Italian version of the Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia. This measure holds considerable promise in assessing the functional outcomes of aphasia rehabilitation in Italian-speaking persons with aphasia. Implications for Rehabilitation Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia is a reliable and valid questionnaire in assessing functional communication of Italian-speaking people with aphasia. This measure provides critical information about people with aphasia's functional and pragmatic communication in home and community settings, contributing significantly to overall quality of life. Since the use of measures of functional communication is recommended in the clinical evaluation of language disease, the Italian version of Functional Outcome Questionnaire - Aphasia may be effective in tailoring rehabilitation treatment to the presenting communication problems of people with aphasia and their caregivers.},
}

Adult
*Aphasia/diagnosis/psychology/rehabilitation
Caregivers/psychology
Communication
Female
Humans
Italy
Male
Middle Aged
Outcome Assessment, Health Care/*methods
Psychometrics/*methods
*Quality of Life
Reproducibility of Results
Stroke/*psychology
Stroke Rehabilitation/*methods
Surveys and Questionnaires
Translations

@article {pmid28804468,
year = {2017},
author = {Maes, E and Vanderoost, E and D'Hooge, R and De Houwer, J and Beckers, T},
title = {Individual Difference Factors in the Learning and Transfer of Patterning Discriminations.},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
volume = {8},
number = {},
pages = {1262},
pmid = {28804468},
issn = {1664-1078},
abstract = {In an associative patterning task, some people seem to focus more on learning an overarching rule, whereas others seem to focus on acquiring specific relations between the stimuli and outcomes involved. Building on earlier work, we further investigated which cognitive factors are involved in feature- vs. rule-based learning and generalization. To this end, we measured participants' tendency to generalize according to the rule of opposites after training on negative and positive patterning problems (i.e., A+/B+/AB- and C-/D-/CD+), their tendency to attend to global aspects or local details of stimuli, their systemizing disposition and their score on the Raven intelligence test. Our results suggest that while intelligence might have some influence on patterning learning and generalization, visual processing style and systemizing disposition do not. We discuss our findings in the light of previous observations on patterning.},
}

@article {pmid28821812,
year = {2017},
author = {Balakhonov, D and Rose, J},
title = {Crows Rival Monkeys in Cognitive Capacity.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {8809},
pmid = {28821812},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; *Cognition ; *Crows ; Fixation, Ocular ; *Haplorhini ; Macaca mulatta ; },
abstract = {The present study compares the 'bandwidth of cognition' between crows and primates. Working memory is the ability to maintain and manipulate information over short periods of time - a core component of cognition. The capacity of working memory is tightly limited, in humans correlated with individual intelligence and commonly used synonymously with cognitive capacity. Crows have remarkable cognitive skills and while birds and mammals share neural principles of working memory, its capacity has not been tested in crows. Here we report the performance of two carrion crows on a working memory paradigm adapted from a recent experiment in rhesus monkeys. Capacity of crows is remarkably similar to monkeys and estimated at about four items. In both species, the visual hemifields show largely independent capacity. These results show that crows, like primates evolved a high-capacity working memory that reflects the result of convergent evolution of higher cognitive abilities in both species.},
}

Analysis of Variance
Animals
*Behavior, Animal
*Cognition
*Crows
Fixation, Ocular
*Haplorhini
Macaca mulatta

@article {pmid28845548,
year = {2018},
author = {Mazzarello, V and Ferrari, M and Bulla, A and Piu, G and Montella, A},
title = {Antiwrinkle effect of topical adhesive pads on crow's feet: How long does the effect last for?.},
journal = {Journal of cosmetic dermatology},
volume = {17},
number = {3},
pages = {484-490},
doi = {10.1111/jocd.12395},
pmid = {28845548},
issn = {1473-2165},
mesh = {Adhesives ; Adult ; *Elasticity ; Eye ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; Prospective Studies ; Single-Blind Method ; *Skin Aging ; Time Factors ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Adhesive pads should reduce the action of the local muscle contraction on the skin leading to a decrease in the depth of existing wrinkles and the formation of new dynamic wrinkles.

AIM OF THE WORK: This study aims at assessing the antiwrinkles action of adhesive pads during time, and the temporary improvement of facial skin appearance by reducing the vision of linear wrinkles and improving skin elasticity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine subjects participated to a placebo-controlled study. In the short-term test, the measurements were taken 15, 30, and 60 minutes following 30 minutes application of the product; in the long-term test, the measurements were taken after wearing pads every night for 4 weeks. The roughness parameter of the skin surface was calculated by using a profilometry software 3D MEX[®] .

RESULTS: In the short- and long-term tests, analyzing the average of the elastomeric measurements, no significant change was observed in any of the parameters analyzed after 15, 30, and 60 minutes. The adhesive pad decreased significantly all roughness skin parameters 15 minutes after short-term application and until 60 minutes after long-term application. These changes did not occur in the contralateral untreated zone.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of topical adhesive pads improves wrinkles in the crow's feet area in the first hour after use. However, patient self-evaluation indicated that the use of topical adhesive pads for 3 weeks may offer subjective improvement in crow's feet zone over a 2 hour period. Topical adhesive pads are safe to use and tolerable for most users.},
}

Adhesives
Adult
*Elasticity
Eye
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Patient Satisfaction
Prospective Studies
Single-Blind Method
*Skin Aging
Time Factors

@article {pmid28847742,
year = {2017},
author = {Fausto, F and Cuevas, E and Valdivia, A and González, A},
title = {A global optimization algorithm inspired in the behavior of selfish herds.},
journal = {Bio Systems},
volume = {160},
number = {},
pages = {39-55},
doi = {10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.07.010},
pmid = {28847742},
issn = {1872-8324},
mesh = {*Algorithms ; Animals ; Biological Evolution ; Crows/physiology ; Insecta/physiology ; *Mass Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; },
abstract = {In this paper, a novel swarm optimization algorithm called the Selfish Herd Optimizer (SHO) is proposed for solving global optimization problems. SHO is based on the simulation of the widely observed selfish herd behavior manifested by individuals within a herd of animals subjected to some form of predation risk. In SHO, individuals emulate the predatory interactions between groups of prey and predators by two types of search agents: the members of a selfish herd (the prey) and a pack of hungry predators. Depending on their classification as either a prey or a predator, each individual is conducted by a set of unique evolutionary operators inspired by such prey-predator relationship. These unique traits allow SHO to improve the balance between exploration and exploitation without altering the population size. To illustrate the proficiency and robustness of the proposed method, it is compared to other well-known evolutionary optimization approaches such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Firefly Algorithm (FA), Differential Evolution (DE), Genetic Algorithms (GA), Crow Search Algorithm (CSA), Dragonfly Algorithm (DA), Moth-flame Optimization Algorithm (MOA) and Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA). The comparison examines several standard benchmark functions, commonly considered within the literature of evolutionary algorithms. The experimental results show the remarkable performance of our proposed approach against those of the other compared methods, and as such SHO is proven to be an excellent alternative to solve global optimization problems.},
}

*Algorithms
Animals
Biological Evolution
Crows/physiology
Insecta/physiology
*Mass Behavior
*Predatory Behavior

@article {pmid28857604,
year = {2017},
author = {Schwing, R and Weber, S and Bugnyar, T},
title = {Kea (Nestor notabilis) decide early when to wait in food exchange task.},
journal = {Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)},
volume = {131},
number = {4},
pages = {269-276},
doi = {10.1037/com0000086},
pmid = {28857604},
issn = {1939-2087},
support = {//Austrian Science Fund (FWF)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Delay Discounting/*physiology ; Female ; Food ; Male ; Psittaciformes/*physiology ; },
abstract = {The ability to forego an immediate reward in favor of a bigger or better one at a later point has been linked with advanced cognitive skills, such as impulse control and forward-planning, and can be assessed by the classic food exchange paradigm. While the ability to perform in such tasks has long been regarded as an exclusive trait of humans and some mammals, that is, primates and dogs, in recent years some bird species have been found to perform similarly as primates. Here we test 10 captive kea (Nestor notabilis), using a food exchange paradigm standardized in earlier experiments, but adding the use of a container to hold the initial item. The subjects reached waiting times of up to 160 s. They also showed significantly different results depending on the difference in the preference level for the presented food items, as well as clearly nonrandom waiting times, displaying forward-planning and economic evaluation of the situation at hand. As in most other species, results were markedly better when exchanging for quality as opposed to quantity. These results provide further evidence for temporal discounting in birds and fit in with the data gained on corvids and parrots in recent years. (PsycINFO Database Record},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
Delay Discounting/*physiology
Female
Food
Male
Psittaciformes/*physiology

@article {pmid28874011,
year = {2017},
author = {Thiemann, TC and Woodward, DL and Fang, Y and Ryan, BM and Nelms, BM and Scott, JJ and Reisen, WK},
title = {Abundance and Bloodfeeding Patterns of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an Oak Woodland on the Eastern Slope of the Northern Coast Range of California.},
journal = {Journal of medical entomology},
volume = {54},
number = {5},
pages = {1344-1353},
doi = {10.1093/jme/tjx078},
pmid = {28874011},
issn = {1938-2928},
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; California ; Culicidae/enzymology/genetics/*physiology ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Food Chain ; Forests ; Insect Proteins/genetics ; *Mammals ; Population Dynamics ; Seasons ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; },
abstract = {The abundance and bloodfeeding patterns of mosquitoes was studied from 2008 to 2010 at an 18 ha. oak woodland in Lake County, CA. Host-seeking females were collected weekly from sunset to sunrise by paired dry-ice-baited CDC style traps, whereas resting females were aspirated from paired walk-in red boxes. Sequences of the COI gene amplified from bloodmeals from engorged resting females were used to identify the bloodmeal hosts. Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow) and Aedes increpitus Dyar complex mosquitoes were univoltine, although the timing of emergence and abundance varied temporally and seemed weather dependent. Abundance of both Anopheles franciscanus McCracken and Anopheles freeborni Aitken peaked in mid to late summer. Females of both genera bloodfed primarily on mule deer and black-tailed jackrabbits, and few fed on either dogs or humans that were consistently present within the woodland. In contrast, multivoltine Culex tarsalis Coquillett and Culex stigmatosoma Dyar were abundant throughout summer, especially from July to September. Both Culex species bloodfed on a wide variety of avian hosts, with most bloodmeals originating from California scrub-jay, wild turkey, oak titmouse, and house finch. Culex tarsalis fed on proportionately more mammals as summer progressed, peaking at 33% in September.},
}

Animals
*Birds
California
Culicidae/enzymology/genetics/*physiology
Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics
Feeding Behavior
Female
*Food Chain
Forests
Insect Proteins/genetics
*Mammals
Population Dynamics
Seasons
Sequence Analysis, DNA

@article {pmid28878059,
year = {2017},
author = {Laumer, IB and Bugnyar, T and Reber, SA and Auersperg, AMI},
title = {Can hook-bending be let off the hook? Bending/unbending of pliant tools by cockatoos.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {284},
number = {1862},
pages = {},
pmid = {28878059},
issn = {1471-2954},
support = {J 3404/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; P 29075/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; P 29084/FWF_/Austrian Science Fund FWF/Austria ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Cockatoos ; *Learning ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {The spontaneous crafting of hook-tools from bendable material to lift a basket out of a vertical tube in corvids has widely been used as one of the prime examples of animal tool innovation. However, it was recently suggested that the animals' solution was hardly innovative but strongly influenced by predispositions from habitual tool use and nest building. We tested Goffin's cockatoo, which is neither a specialized tool user nor a nest builder, on a similar task set-up. Three birds individually learned to bend hook tools from straight wire to retrieve food from vertical tubes and four subjects unbent wire to retrieve food from horizontal tubes. Pre-experience with ready-made hooks had some effect but was not necessary for success. Our results indicate that the ability to represent and manufacture tools according to a current need does not require genetically hardwired behavioural routines, but can indeed arise innovatively from domain general cognitive processing.},
}

Animals
*Cockatoos
*Learning
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid28886467,
year = {2017},
author = {Zhang, H and Yan, C and Zhang, X and Shi, J and Zhu, B},
title = {The relationship between fluid intelligence and sustained inattentional blindness in 7-to-14-year-old children.},
journal = {Consciousness and cognition},
volume = {55},
number = {},
pages = {172-178},
doi = {10.1016/j.concog.2017.08.003},
pmid = {28886467},
issn = {1090-2376},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Attention/*physiology ; Child ; Child Development/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intelligence/*physiology ; Male ; Motion Perception/physiology ; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Previous researches have shown that people with higher fluid intelligence are more likely to detect the unexpected stimuli. The current study systematically explored the relationship between fluid intelligence and sustained inattentional blindness in children. In Experiment 1, we measured one hundred and seventy-nine 7-to-14-year-old children's fluid intelligence and sustained inattentional blindness. The results showed that fluid intelligence was negatively related to sustained inattentional blindness only in 7-to-8-year-old children. In Experiment 2, we explored sustained inattentional blindness in sixty children with high Raven's scores. We found that compared with children who have average Raven's scores aged 11-to-12 years old, children with high Raven's scores were unable to better avoid sustained inattentional blindness. In general, this research implies that the relation between fluid intelligence and sustained inattentional blindness is weak. Fluid intelligence could predict sustained inattentional blindness only when children do not have enough perceptual capacities to complete the primary task.},
}

Adolescent
Attention/*physiology
Child
Child Development/*physiology
Female
Humans
Intelligence/*physiology
Male
Motion Perception/physiology
Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology
Visual Perception/*physiology

@article {pmid28892233,
year = {2017},
author = {Choi, SY and Kwon, HJ and Ahn, GR and Ko, EJ and Yoo, KH and Kim, BJ and Lee, C and Kim, D},
title = {Hyaluronic acid microneedle patch for the improvement of crow's feet wrinkles.},
journal = {Dermatologic therapy},
volume = {30},
number = {6},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/dth.12546},
pmid = {28892233},
issn = {1529-8019},
mesh = {Adult ; Cosmetic Techniques/adverse effects/*instrumentation ; Dermal Fillers/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Equipment Design ; Esthetics ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Injections, Intradermal ; Middle Aged ; *Miniaturization ; *Needles ; Patient Satisfaction ; *Rejuvenation ; Republic of Korea ; *Skin Aging ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; },
abstract = {Hyaluronic acid (HA) has an immediate volumizing effect, due to its strong water-binding potential, and stimulates fibroblasts, causing collagen synthesis, with short- and long-term effects on wrinkle improvement. We investigated the efficacy and safety of HA microneedle patches for crow's feet wrinkles. Using a randomized spilt-face design, we compared microneedle patches with a topical application containing the same active ingredients. We enrolled 34 Korean female subjects with mild to moderate crow's feet wrinkles. The wrinkle on each side of the subject's face was randomly assigned to a HA microneedle patch or HA essence application twice a week for 8 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at weeks 2, 4, and 8. Skin wrinkles were measured as average roughness using replica and PRIMOS. Skin elasticity was assessed using a cutometer. Two independent blinded dermatologists evaluated the changes after treatment using the global visual wrinkle assessment score. Subjects assessed wrinkles using the subject global assessment score. Skin wrinkles were significantly reduced and skin elasticity significantly increased in both groups, although improvement was greater in the patch group at week 8 after treatment. In the primary and cumulative skin irritation tests, the HA microneedle patch did not induce any skin irritation. The HA microneedle patch is more effective than the HA essence for wrinkle improvement and is a safe and convenient without skin irritation.},
}

Adult
Cosmetic Techniques/adverse effects/*instrumentation
Dermal Fillers/*administration & dosage/adverse effects
Equipment Design
Esthetics
Female
Humans
Hyaluronic Acid/*administration & dosage/adverse effects
Injections, Intradermal
Middle Aged
*Miniaturization
*Needles
Patient Satisfaction
*Rejuvenation
Republic of Korea
*Skin Aging
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome

@article {pmid28895948,
year = {2017},
author = {Marley, SA and Erbe, C and Kent, CPS},
title = {Underwater recordings of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins in Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {4},
number = {},
pages = {170126},
pmid = {28895948},
issn = {2052-4463},
mesh = {Animals ; *Bottle-Nosed Dolphin ; *Vocalization, Animal ; Western Australia ; },
abstract = {Dolphins use frequency-modulated whistles for a variety of social functions. Whistles vary in their characteristics according to context, such as activity state, group size, group composition, geographic location, and ambient noise levels. Therefore, comparison of whistle characteristics can be used to address numerous research questions regarding dolphin populations and behaviour. However, logistical and economic constraints on dolphin research have resulted in data collection biases, inconsistent analytical approaches, and knowledge gaps. This Data Descriptor presents an acoustic dataset of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) whistles recorded in the Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia. Data were collected using an autonomous recorder and analysed using a range of acoustic measurements. Acoustic data review identified 336 whistles, which were subsequently measured for six key characteristics using Raven Pro software. Of these, 164 'high-quality' whistles were manually measured to provide an additional five acoustic characteristics. Digital files of individual whistles and corresponding measurements make this dataset available to researchers to address future questions regarding variations within and between dolphin communities.},
}

Animals
*Bottle-Nosed Dolphin
*Vocalization, Animal
Western Australia

@article {pmid28914409,
year = {2018},
author = {Despinoy, F and Zemiti, N and Forestier, G and Sánchez, A and Jannin, P and Poignet, P},
title = {Evaluation of contactless human-machine interface for robotic surgical training.},
journal = {International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {13-24},
pmid = {28914409},
issn = {1861-6429},
mesh = {Gestures ; Humans ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/*education/methods ; *User-Computer Interface ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: Teleoperated robotic systems are nowadays routinely used for specific interventions. Benefits of robotic training courses have already been acknowledged by the community since manipulation of such systems requires dedicated training. However, robotic surgical simulators remain expensive and require a dedicated human-machine interface.

METHODS: We present a low-cost contactless optical sensor, the Leap Motion, as a novel control device to manipulate the RAVEN-II robot. We compare peg manipulations during a training task with a contact-based device, the electro-mechanical Sigma.7. We perform two complementary analyses to quantitatively assess the performance of each control method: a metric-based comparison and a novel unsupervised spatiotemporal trajectory clustering.

RESULTS: We show that contactless control does not offer as good manipulability as the contact-based. Where part of the metric-based evaluation presents the mechanical control better than the contactless one, the unsupervised spatiotemporal trajectory clustering from the surgical tool motions highlights specific signature inferred by the human-machine interfaces.

CONCLUSIONS: Even if the current implementation of contactless control does not overtake manipulation with high-standard mechanical interface, we demonstrate that using the optical sensor complete control of the surgical instruments is feasible. The proposed method allows fine tracking of the trainee's hands in order to execute dexterous laparoscopic training gestures. This work is promising for development of future human-machine interfaces dedicated to robotic surgical training systems.},
}

Gestures
Humans
Robotic Surgical Procedures/*education/methods
*User-Computer Interface

@article {pmid28918225,
year = {2017},
author = {Ren, X and Schweizer, K and Wang, T and Chu, P and Gong, Q},
title = {On the relationship between executive functions of working memory and components derived from fluid intelligence measures.},
journal = {Acta psychologica},
volume = {180},
number = {},
pages = {79-87},
doi = {10.1016/j.actpsy.2017.09.002},
pmid = {28918225},
issn = {1873-6297},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Executive Function/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibition, Psychological ; Intelligence/*physiology ; Intelligence Tests ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Problem Solving/*physiology ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {The aim of the current study is to provide new insights into the relationship between executive functions and intelligence measures in considering the item-position effect observed in intelligence items. Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and Horn's LPS reasoning test were used to assess fluid intelligence which served as criterion in investigating the relationship between intelligence and executive functions. A battery of six experimental tasks measured the updating, shifting, and inhibition processes of executive functions. Data were collected from 205 university students. Fluid intelligence showed substantial correlations with the updating and inhibition processes and no correlation with the shifting process without considering the item-position effect. Next, the fixed-link model was applied to APM and LPS data separately to decompose them into an ability component and an item-position component. The results of relating the components to executive functions showed that the updating and shifting processes mainly contributed to the item-position component whereas the inhibition process was mainly associated with the ability component of each fluid intelligence test. These findings suggest that improvements in the efficiency of updating and shifting processes are likely to occur during the course of completing intelligence measures and inhibition is important for intelligence in general.},
}

Adolescent
Adult
Executive Function/*physiology
Female
Humans
Inhibition, Psychological
Intelligence/*physiology
Intelligence Tests
Male
Memory, Short-Term/*physiology
Neuropsychological Tests
Problem Solving/*physiology
Young Adult

@article {pmid28922382,
year = {2017},
author = {Canestrari, D and Bolopo, D and Turlings, TCJ and Röder, G and Marcos, JM and Baglione, V},
title = {Formal comment to Soler et al.: Great spotted cuckoo nestlings have no antipredatory effect on magpie or carrion crow host nests in southern Spain.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {12},
number = {9},
pages = {e0184446},
pmid = {28922382},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; Crows ; Nesting Behavior ; *Passeriformes ; Spain ; },
}

Animals
*Birds
Crows
Nesting Behavior
*Passeriformes
Spain

@article {pmid28929247,
year = {2017},
author = {Kabadayi, C and Krasheninnikova, A and O'Neill, L and van de Weijer, J and Osvath, M and von Bayern, AMP},
title = {Are parrots poor at motor self-regulation or is the cylinder task poor at measuring it?.},
journal = {Animal cognition},
volume = {20},
number = {6},
pages = {1137-1146},
pmid = {28929247},
issn = {1435-9456},
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Female ; *Inhibition, Psychological ; Male ; Parrots/*physiology ; Psychomotor Performance ; Research Design ; *Self-Control ; },
abstract = {The ability to inhibit unproductive motor responses triggered by salient stimuli is a fundamental inhibitory skill. Such motor self-regulation is thought to underlie more complex cognitive mechanisms, like self-control. Recently, a large-scale study, comparing 36 species, found that absolute brain size best predicted competence in motor inhibition, with great apes as the best performers. This was challenged when three Corvus species (corvids) were found to parallel great apes despite having much smaller absolute brain sizes. However, new analyses suggest that it is the number of pallial neurons, and not absolute brain size per se, that correlates with levels of motor inhibition. Both studies used the cylinder task, a detour-reaching test where food is presented behind a transparent barrier. We tested four species from the order Psittaciformes (parrots) on this task. Like corvids, many parrots have relatively large brains, high numbers of pallial neurons, and solve challenging cognitive tasks. Nonetheless, parrots performed markedly worse than the Corvus species in the cylinder task and exhibited strong learning effects in performance and response times. Our results suggest either that parrots are poor at controlling their motor impulses, and hence that pallial neuronal numbers do not always correlate with such skills, or that the widely used cylinder task may not be a good measure of motor inhibition.},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal
Female
*Inhibition, Psychological
Male
Parrots/*physiology
Psychomotor Performance
Research Design
*Self-Control

@article {pmid28953940,
year = {2017},
author = {Lee, SI and Lee, H and Jablonski, PG and Choe, JC and Husby, M},
title = {Microbial abundance on the eggs of a passerine bird and related fitness consequences between urban and rural habitats.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {12},
number = {9},
pages = {e0185411},
pmid = {28953940},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; Climate ; Colony Count, Microbial ; *Ecosystem ; Eggs/*microbiology ; Passeriformes/*microbiology/physiology ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; },
abstract = {Urban environments present novel and challenging habitats to wildlife. In addition to well-known difference in abiotic factors between rural and urban environments, the biotic environment, including microbial fauna, may also differ significantly. In this study, we aimed to compare the change in microbial abundance on eggshells during incubation between urban and rural populations of a passerine bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica), and examine the consequences of any differences in microbial abundances in terms of hatching success and nestling survival. Using real-time PCR, we quantified the abundances of total bacteria, Escherichia coli/Shigella spp., surfactin-producing Bacillus spp. and Candida albicans on the eggshells of magpies. We found that urban magpie eggs harboured greater abundances of E. coli/Shigella spp. and C. albicans before incubation than rural magpie eggs. During incubation, there was an increase in the total bacterial load, but a decrease in C. albicans on urban eggs relative to rural eggs. Rural eggs showed a greater increase in E. coli/Shigella spp. relative to their urban counterpart. Hatching success of the brood was generally lower in urban than rural population. Nestling survival was differentially related with the eggshell microbial abundance between urban and rural populations, which was speculated to be the result of the difference in the strength of the interaction among the microbes. This is the first demonstration that avian clutches in urban and rural populations differ in eggshell microbial abundance, which can be further related to the difference in hatching success and nestling survival in these two types of environments. We suggest that future studies on the eggshell microbes should investigate the interaction among the microbes, because the incubation and/or environmental factors such as urbanization or climate condition can influence the dynamic interactions among the microbes on the eggshells which can further determine the breeding success of the parents.},
}

Animals
Climate
Colony Count, Microbial
*Ecosystem
Eggs/*microbiology
Passeriformes/*microbiology/physiology
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

@article {pmid28963599,
year = {2017},
author = {Stanton, L and Davis, E and Johnson, S and Gilbert, A and Benson-Amram, S},
title = {Adaptation of the Aesop's Fable paradigm for use with raccoons (Procyon lotor): considerations for future application in non-avian and non-primate species.},
journal = {Animal cognition},
volume = {20},
number = {6},
pages = {1147-1152},
doi = {10.1007/s10071-017-1129-z},
pmid = {28963599},
issn = {1435-9456},
mesh = {Animals ; *Cognition ; Female ; Male ; *Problem Solving ; Raccoons/*psychology ; Reward ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {To gain a better understanding of the evolution of animal cognition, it is necessary to test and compare the cognitive abilities of a broad array of taxa. Meaningful inter-species comparisons are best achieved by employing universal paradigms that standardize testing among species. Many cognitive paradigms, however, have been tested in only a few taxa, mostly birds and primates. One such example, known as the Aesop's Fable paradigm, is designed to assess causal understanding in animals using water displacement. To evaluate the universal effectiveness of the Aesop's Fable paradigm, we applied this paradigm to a previously untested taxon, the raccoon (Procyon lotor). We first trained captive raccoons to drop stones into a tube of water to retrieve a floating food reward. Next, we presented successful raccoons with objects that differed in the amount of water they displaced to determine whether raccoons could select the most functional option. Raccoons performed differently than corvids and human children did in previous studies of Aesop's Fable, and we found raccoons to be innovative in many aspects of this task. We suggest that raccoon performance in this paradigm reflected differences in tangential factors, such as behavior, morphology, and testing procedures, rather than cognitive deficiencies. We also present insight into previously undocumented challenges that should better inform future Aesop's Fable studies incorporating more diverse taxa.},
}

Animals
*Cognition
Female
Male
*Problem Solving
Raccoons/*psychology
Reward
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid28968822,
year = {2017},
author = {McPhatter, LP and Su, T and Williams, G and Cheng, ML and Dhillon, M and Gerry, AC},
title = {Host-Feeding Patterns of Culex stigmatosoma (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern California.},
journal = {Journal of medical entomology},
volume = {54},
number = {6},
pages = {1750-1757},
doi = {10.1093/jme/tjx154},
pmid = {28968822},
issn = {1938-2928},
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; California ; Cattle ; Cities ; *Culex ; Dogs ; Ecosystem ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; },
abstract = {Knowledge of the blood-feeding patterns exhibited by arthropod vectors is essential for understanding the complex dynamics of vector-borne disease transmission. Some species of mosquitoes belonging to the genus Culex have been implicated as having major roles in the transmission of arboviruses such as West Nile virus, Saint Louis encephalitis virus, and Western equine encephalitis virus. Although the host-feeding patterns for many of these Culex species are well studied, the host-feeding patterns of Culex stigmatosoma Dyar are relatively poorly studied, even though this species is suspected to be an important maintenance vector for West Nile virus and other arboviruses. In the current study, bloodmeals from 976 blood-engorged Cx. stigmatosoma, collected from 30 sites in southern California from 2009-2012, were processed for vertebrate host identification by nucleotide sequencing following polymerase chain reaction to amplify portions of the cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b genes of vertebrate animals. Vertebrate DNA was amplified, sequenced, and identified from a total of 647 Cx. stigmatosoma bloodmeals, revealing that 98.6% of bloodmeals were from birds, 1.2% from three mammal species, and a single bloodmeal was from a reptile species. In total, 40 different host species were identified. The greatest number of bloodmeals identified was from domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus L.) (38% of bloodmeals), house sparrow (Passer domesticus L.) (23%), house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus Müller) (17%), American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos L.) (4%), and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura L.) (3%). However, chicken bloodmeals were identified almost entirely from a single site where mosquito collection devices were placed in the near vicinity of confined domestic chickens. The strongly ornithophilic feeding behavior shown in this study for Cx. stigmatosoma supports the hypothesis that this mosquito species may be an important maintenance (or endemic) vector for arboviruses that circulate among susceptible birds.},
}

Animals
*Birds
California
Cattle
Cities
*Culex
Dogs
Ecosystem
Feeding Behavior
Humans

@article {pmid28978738,
year = {2017},
author = {Ręk, P and Magrath, RD},
title = {Deceptive vocal duets and multimodal display in a songbird.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {284},
number = {1864},
pages = {},
pmid = {28978738},
issn = {1471-2954},
mesh = {Animals ; Australian Capital Territory ; Female ; Male ; Songbirds/*physiology ; *Territoriality ; *Vocalization, Animal ; },
abstract = {Many group-living animals cooperatively signal to defend resources, but what stops deceptive signalling to competitors about coalition strength? Cooperative-signalling species include mated pairs of birds that sing duets to defend their territory. Individuals of these species sometimes sing 'pseudo-duets' by mimicking their partner's contribution, but it is unknown if these songs are deceptive, or why duets are normally reliable. We studied pseudo-duets in Australian magpie-larks, Grallina cyanoleuca, and tested whether multimodal signalling constrains deception. Magpie-larks give antiphonal duets coordinated with a visual display, with each sex typically choosing a different song type within the duet. Individuals produced pseudo-duets almost exclusively during nesting when partners were apart, but the two song types were used in sequence rather than antiphonally. Strikingly, birds hid and gave no visual displays, implying deceptive suppression of information. Acoustic playbacks showed that pseudo-duets provoked the same response from residents as true duets, regardless of whether they were sequential or antiphonal, and stronger response than that to true duets consisting of a single song type. By contrast, experiments with robot models showed that songs accompanied by movements of two birds prompted stronger responses than songs accompanied by movements of one bird, irrespective of the number of song types or singers. We conclude that magpie-larks used deceptive pseudo-duets when partners were apart, and suppressed the visual display to maintain the subterfuge. We suggest that the visual component of many species' duets provides the most reliable information about the number of signallers and may have evolved to maintain honesty in duet communication.},
}

Animals
Australian Capital Territory
Female
Male
Songbirds/*physiology
*Territoriality
*Vocalization, Animal

@article {pmid28989768,
year = {2017},
author = {Lambert, ML and Schiestl, M and Schwing, R and Taylor, AH and Gajdon, GK and Slocombe, KE and Seed, AM},
title = {Function and flexibility of object exploration in kea and New Caledonian crows.},
journal = {Royal Society open science},
volume = {4},
number = {9},
pages = {170652},
pmid = {28989768},
issn = {2054-5703},
abstract = {A range of non-human animals frequently manipulate and explore objects in their environment, which may enable them to learn about physical properties and potentially form more abstract concepts of properties such as weight and rigidity. Whether animals can apply the information learned during their exploration to solve novel problems, however, and whether they actually change their exploratory behaviour to seek functional information about objects have not been fully explored. We allowed kea (Nestor notabilis) and New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) to explore sets of novel objects both before and after encountering a task in which some of the objects could function as tools. Following this, subjects were given test trials in which they could choose among the objects they had explored to solve a tool-use task. Several individuals from both species performed above chance on these test trials, and only did so after exploring the objects, compared with a control experiment with no prior exploration phase. These results suggest that selection of functional tools may be guided by information acquired during exploration. Neither kea nor crows changed the duration or quality of their exploration after learning that the objects had a functional relevance, suggesting that birds do not adjust their behaviour to explicitly seek this information.},
}

@article {pmid28989931,
year = {2016},
author = {Bird, SR and Held, S and McCormick, A and Hallett, J and Martin, C and Trottier, C},
title = {The Impact of Historical and Current Loss on Chronic Illness: Perceptions of Crow (Apsáalooke) People.},
journal = {International journal of indigenous health},
volume = {11},
number = {1},
pages = {198-210},
pmid = {28989931},
issn = {2291-9376},
support = {P20 GM103474/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; P20 GM104417/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; U54 GM104944/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of perceptions about the impact of historical and current loss on Apsáalooke (Crow) people acquiring and coping with chronic illness. This study took a qualitative phenomenological approach by interviewing community members with chronic illness in order to gain insight into their perceptions and experiences. Participants emphasized 10 areas of impact of historical and current loss: the link between mental health and physical health/health behaviors; resiliency and strengths; connection and isolation; importance of language and language loss; changes in cultural knowledge and practices; diet; grieving; racism and discrimination; changes in land use and ownership; and boarding schools. The findings from this research are being used to develop a chronic illness self-care management program for Crow people.},
}

@article {pmid29020745,
year = {2017},
author = {Kole, K and Komuro, Y and Provaznik, J and Pistolic, J and Benes, V and Tiesinga, P and Celikel, T},
title = {Transcriptional mapping of the primary somatosensory cortex upon sensory deprivation.},
journal = {GigaScience},
volume = {6},
number = {10},
pages = {1-6},
pmid = {29020745},
issn = {2047-217X},
mesh = {Animals ; Female ; *Gene Expression ; Mice ; Sensory Deprivation/*physiology ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Somatosensory Cortex/*physiology ; Vibrissae/physiology ; },
abstract = {Experience-dependent plasticity (EDP) is essential for anatomical and functional maturation of sensory circuits during development. Although the principal synaptic and circuit mechanisms of EDP are increasingly well studied experimentally and computationally, its molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. EDP can be readily studied in the rodent barrel cortex, where each "barrel column" preferentially represents deflections of its own principal whisker. Depriving select whiskers while sparing their neighbours introduces competition between barrel columns, ultimately leading to weakening of intracortical, translaminar (i.e., cortical layer (L)4-to-L2/3) feed-forward excitatory projections in the deprived columns. The same synapses are potentiated in the neighbouring spared columns. These experience-dependent alterations of synaptic strength are thought to underlie somatosensory map plasticity. We used RNA sequencing in this model system to uncover cortical-column and -layer specific changes on the transcriptome level that are induced by altered sensory experience. Column- and layer-specific barrel cortical tissues were collected from juvenile mice with all whiskers intact and mice that received 11-12 days of long whisker (C-row) deprivation before high-quality RNA was purified and sequenced. The current dataset entails an average of 50 million paired-end reads per sample, 75 base pairs in length. On average, 90.15% of reads could be uniquely mapped to the mm10 reference mouse genome. The current data reveal the transcriptional changes in gene expression in the barrel cortex upon altered sensory experience in juvenile mice and will help to molecularly map the mechanisms of cortical plasticity.},
}

Animals
Female
*Gene Expression
Mice
Sensory Deprivation/*physiology
Sequence Analysis, RNA
Somatosensory Cortex/*physiology
Vibrissae/physiology

@article {pmid29020746,
year = {2017},
author = {Kole, K and Lindeboom, RGH and Baltissen, MPA and Jansen, PWTC and Vermeulen, M and Tiesinga, P and Celikel, T},
title = {Proteomic landscape of the primary somatosensory cortex upon sensory deprivation.},
journal = {GigaScience},
volume = {6},
number = {10},
pages = {1-10},
pmid = {29020746},
issn = {2047-217X},
mesh = {Animals ; Female ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; *Proteomics ; Sensory Deprivation/*physiology ; Somatosensory Cortex/*metabolism ; },
abstract = {Experience-dependent plasticity (EDP) powerfully shapes neural circuits by inducing long-lasting molecular changes in the brain. Molecular mechanisms of EDP have been traditionally studied by identifying single or small subsets of targets along the biochemical pathways that link synaptic receptors to nuclear processes. Recent technological advances in large-scale analysis of gene transcription and translation now allow systematic observation of thousands of molecules simultaneously. Here we employed label-free quantitative mass spectrometry to address experience-dependent changes in the proteome after sensory deprivation of the primary somatosensory cortex. Cortical column- and layer-specific tissue samples were collected from control animals, with all whiskers intact, and animals whose C-row whiskers were bilaterally plucked for 11-14 days. Thirty-three samples from cortical layers (L) 2/3 and L4 spanning across control, deprived, and first- and second-order spared columns yielded at least 10 000 peptides mapping to ∼5000 protein groups. Of these, 4676 were identified with high confidence, and >3000 were found in all samples. This comprehensive database provides a snapshot of the proteome after whisker deprivation, a protocol that has been widely used to unravel the synaptic, cellular, and network mechanisms of EDP. Complementing the recently made available transcriptome for identical experimental conditions (see the accompanying article by Kole et al.), the database can be used to (i) mine novel targets whose translation is modulated by sensory organ use, (ii) cross-validate experimental protocols from the same developmental time point, and (iii) statistically map the molecular pathways of cortical plasticity at a columnar and laminar resolution.},
}

Animals
Female
Mice, Inbred C57BL
*Proteomics
Sensory Deprivation/*physiology
Somatosensory Cortex/*metabolism

@article {pmid29036268,
year = {2018},
author = {Krieger, N and Jahn, JL and Waterman, PD and Chen, JT},
title = {Breast Cancer Estrogen Receptor Status According to Biological Generation: US Black and White Women Born 1915-1979.},
journal = {American journal of epidemiology},
volume = {187},
number = {5},
pages = {960-970},
doi = {10.1093/aje/kwx312},
pmid = {29036268},
issn = {1476-6256},
mesh = {Adult ; Black or African American/history/*statistics & numerical data ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian/history/statistics & numerical data ; Breast Neoplasms/*epidemiology/*ethnology/metabolism ; China/ethnology ; Female ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Racism/history/legislation & jurisprudence ; Receptors, Estrogen/*analysis ; SEER Program ; United States/epidemiology ; White People/history/*statistics & numerical data ; },
abstract = {Evidence suggests that contemporary population distributions of estrogen-receptor (ER) status among breast cancer patients may be shaped by earlier major societal events, such as the 1965 abolition of legal racial discrimination in the United States (state and local "Jim Crow" laws) and the Great Famine in China (1959-1961). We analyzed changes in ER status in relation to Jim Crow birthplace among the 46,417 black and 339,830 white US-born, non-Hispanic women in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 13 Registry Group who were born between 1915 and 1979 and diagnosed (ages 25-84 years, inclusive) during 1992-2012. We grouped the cases according to birth cohort and quantified the rate of change using the haldane (which scales change in relation to biological generation). The percentage of ER-positive cases rose according to birth cohort (1915-1919 to 1975-1979) only among women diagnosed before age 55. Changes according to biological generation were greater among black women than among white women, and among black women, they were greatest among those born in Jim Crow (versus non-Jim Crow) states, with this group being the only group to exhibit high haldane values (>|0.3|, indicating high rate of change). Our study's analytical approach and findings underscore the need to consider history and societal context when analyzing ER status among breast cancer patients and racial/ethnic inequities in its distribution.},
}

Adult
Black or African American/history/*statistics & numerical data
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Asian/history/statistics & numerical data
Breast Neoplasms/*epidemiology/*ethnology/metabolism
China/ethnology
Female
History, 20th Century
Humans
Middle Aged
Racism/history/legislation & jurisprudence
Receptors, Estrogen/*analysis
SEER Program
United States/epidemiology
White People/history/*statistics & numerical data

@article {pmid29062203,
year = {2017},
author = {Fadel, HM and Afifi, R and Al-Qabili, DM},
title = {Characterization and zoonotic impact of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli in some wild bird species.},
journal = {Veterinary world},
volume = {10},
number = {9},
pages = {1118-1128},
pmid = {29062203},
issn = {0972-8988},
abstract = {AIM: Wild birds are considered silent vectors of some zoonotic water and food borne pathogens of public health significance. Owing to the importance of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) as the most pathogenic among the emerging diarrheagenic E. coli groups that can infect man; the present study was designed to detect the occurrence of STEC among wild birds in Egypt.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 177 intestinal content swab samples originating from five wild bird species were investigated for the presence of E. coli and STEC by standard culture methods. Suspect STEC isolates were further characterized by serotyping, random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD PCR), antimicrobial resistance pattern and PCR detection of stx1, stx2, and eae genes.

RESULTS: A total of 30 suspect STEC isolates from 30 positive birds' samples were detected and identified on STEC CHROMagar (semi-captive pigeons, 15; house crows, 8; cattle egrets, 3; moorhens, 2; and house teals, 2). 25 isolates were grouped into 13 serogroups (O:20, O:25, O:26, O:27, O:63, O:78, O:111, O:114, O:125, O:128, O:142, O:153, and O:158), while five were rough strains. The distribution of STEC virulence genes among wild birds was as follows: 16 birds carried stx1 gene only (nine pigeons [28.1%], six crows [7.1%], and one cattle egret [5.6%]). Stx1 and stx2 genes together were detected in four birds (one cattle egret [5.6%], two moorhens [6.1%], and one house teal, [10%]). Only one pigeon (3.1%) possessed the three alleles. Disk diffusion test results showed that cefixime was the most effective against STEC serotypes with (93.3%) sensitivity, followed by gentamycin (56.7%), and amoxicillin (50%). On the other hand, all the recovered STEC isolates were resistant to cefotaxime, doxycycline, cephalothin, and sulfisoxazole. RAPD fingerprinting using primers OPA-2 and OPA-9 showed that STEC isolates were heterogeneous; they yielded 30 and 27 different clusters, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Wild birds carry STEC and may add to the contamination of the surrounding environment.},
}

@article {pmid29064988,
year = {2017},
author = {Rossi, AM and Eviatar, J and Green, JB and Anolik, R and Eidelman, M and Keaney, TC and Narurkar, V and Jones, D and Kolodziejczyk, J and Drinkwater, A and Gallagher, CJ},
title = {Signs of Facial Aging in Men in a Diverse, Multinational Study: Timing and Preventive Behaviors.},
journal = {Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.]},
volume = {43 Suppl 2},
number = {},
pages = {S210-S220},
doi = {10.1097/DSS.0000000000001293},
pmid = {29064988},
issn = {1524-4725},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; *Esthetics ; *Face ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Photography ; Racial Groups ; *Skin Aging ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Men are a growing patient population in aesthetic medicine and are increasingly seeking minimally invasive cosmetic procedures.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in the timing of facial aging and in the prevalence of preventive facial aging behaviors in men by race/ethnicity.

METHODS: Men aged 18 to 75 years in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia rated their features using photonumeric rating scales for 10 facial aging characteristics. Impact of race/ethnicity (Caucasian, black, Asian, Hispanic) on severity of each feature was assessed. Subjects also reported the frequency of dermatologic facial product use.

RESULTS: The study included 819 men. Glabellar lines, crow's feet lines, and nasolabial folds showed the greatest change with age. Caucasian men reported more severe signs of aging and earlier onset, by 10 to 20 years, compared with Asian, Hispanic, and, particularly, black men. In all racial/ethnic groups, most men did not regularly engage in basic, antiaging preventive behaviors, such as use of sunscreen.

CONCLUSION: Findings from this study conducted in a globally diverse sample may guide clinical discussions with men about the prevention and treatment of signs of facial aging, to help men of all races/ethnicities achieve their desired aesthetic outcomes.},
}

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
*Esthetics
*Face
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Photography
Racial Groups
*Skin Aging
Surveys and Questionnaires

@article {pmid29065635,
year = {2017},
author = {Li, X and Alemzadeh, H and Chen, D and Kalbarczyk, Z and Iyer, RK and Kesavadas, T},
title = {Surgeon Training in Telerobotic Surgery via a Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulator.},
journal = {Journal of healthcare engineering},
volume = {2017},
number = {},
pages = {6702919},
pmid = {29065635},
issn = {2040-2295},
mesh = {Algorithms ; Clinical Competence ; Computers ; Equipment Design ; Feedback ; Humans ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/*education/instrumentation ; *Simulation Training ; Software ; Surgeons/*education ; *Telemedicine ; *User-Computer Interface ; Virtual Reality ; },
abstract = {This work presents a software and hardware framework for a telerobotic surgery safety and motor skill training simulator. The aims are at providing trainees a comprehensive simulator for acquiring essential skills to perform telerobotic surgery. Existing commercial robotic surgery simulators lack features for safety training and optimal motion planning, which are critical factors in ensuring patient safety and efficiency in operation. In this work, we propose a hardware-in-the-loop simulator directly introducing these two features. The proposed simulator is built upon the Raven-II™ open source surgical robot, integrated with a physics engine and a safety hazard injection engine. Also, a Fast Marching Tree-based motion planning algorithm is used to help trainee learn the optimal instrument motion patterns. The main contributions of this work are (1) reproducing safety hazards events, related to da Vinci™ system, reported to the FDA MAUDE database, with a novel haptic feedback strategy to provide feedback to the operator when the underlying dynamics differ from the real robot's states so that the operator will be aware and can mitigate the negative impact of the safety-critical events, and (2) using motion planner to generate semioptimal path in an interactive robotic surgery training environment.},
}

Algorithms
Clinical Competence
Computers
Equipment Design
Feedback
Humans
Robotic Surgical Procedures/*education/instrumentation
*Simulation Training
Software
Surgeons/*education
*Telemedicine
*User-Computer Interface
Virtual Reality

@article {pmid29074881,
year = {2017},
author = {Scasta, JD and Stam, B and Windh, JL},
title = {Rancher-reported efficacy of lethal and non-lethal livestock predation mitigation strategies for a suite of carnivores.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {14105},
pmid = {29074881},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Carnivora ; Conservation of Natural Resources/*methods ; *Livestock ; *Predatory Behavior ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; },
abstract = {Pastoralists have dealt with livestock losses from predators for millennia, yet effective mitigation strategies that balance wildlife conservation and sustainable agriculture are still needed today. In Wyoming, USA, 274 ranchers responded to a retrospective survey, and rated the efficacy of predation mitigation strategies for foxes, dogs, coyotes, wolves, bobcats, mountain lions, bears, and birds (buzzards, eagles, hawks, ravens). Rancher reported efficacy of mitigation varied by predator species, mitigation strategy, and lethality of strategies, but not livestock type. Ranchers perceive they were most effective at mitigating predation by foxes and coyotes, moderately effective at mitigating large carnivores, and the least effective at mitigating birds. Ranchers also reported that avian predators seem to be the most challenging predator type. The general perception was lethal mitigation strategies were more effective than non-lethal strategies, with guard animals showing the most potential among the non-lethal options. In general, ranchers did not perceive non-lethal strategies as a proxy for lethal strategies. However, a few ranchers reported being successful with non-lethal options such as herding, fencing, and stalling at night but more details about such successful applications are needed. Innovation in current or novel non-lethal mitigation strategies, and examples of efficacy, are needed to justify producer adoption.},
}

Animals
*Carnivora
Conservation of Natural Resources/*methods
*Livestock
*Predatory Behavior
Surveys and Questionnaires

@article {pmid29078034,
year = {2018},
author = {Hill, SD and Aryal, A and Pawley, MDM and Ji, W},
title = {So much for the city: Urban-rural song variation in a widespread Asiatic songbird.},
journal = {Integrative zoology},
volume = {13},
number = {2},
pages = {194-205},
doi = {10.1111/1749-4877.12284},
pmid = {29078034},
issn = {1749-4877},
mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Asia ; Cities ; Male ; Noise ; Songbirds/*physiology ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Song plays a fundamental role in intraspecific communication in songbirds. The temporal and structural components of songs can vary in different habitats. These include urban habitats where anthropogenic sounds and alteration of habitat structure can significantly affect songbird vocal behavior. Urban-rural variations in song complexity, song length and syllable rate are not fully understood. In this study, using the oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) as a model, we investigated urban-rural variation in song complexity, song length, syllable rate, syllable length and inter-syllable interval. Comparing urban and rural songs from 7 countries across its natural Asiatic range (Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand), we found no significant differences in oriental magpie-robin song complexity. However, we found significant differences in temporal song variables between urban and rural sites. Longer songs and inter-syllable intervals in addition to slower syllable rates within urban sites contributed the most to this variance. This indicates that the urban environment may have driven production of longer and slower songs to maximize efficient transmission of important song information in urban habitats.},
}

*Animal Distribution
Animals
Asia
Cities
Male
Noise
Songbirds/*physiology
Vocalization, Animal/*physiology

@article {pmid29081434,
year = {2017},
author = {Herzberg, D},
title = {Entitled to Addiction?: Pharmaceuticals, Race, and America's First Drug War.},
journal = {Bulletin of the history of medicine},
volume = {91},
number = {3},
pages = {586-623},
pmid = {29081434},
issn = {1086-3176},
support = {G13 LM012050/LM/NLM NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {Drug and Narcotic Control/*history/legislation & jurisprudence ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Racism/*history ; Substance-Related Disorders/*history/psychology ; United States ; United States Food and Drug Administration/*history/organization & administration ; },
abstract = {This article rethinks the formative decades of American drug wars through a social history of addiction to pharmaceutical narcotics, sedatives, and stimulants in the first half of the twentieth century. It argues, first, that addiction to pharmaceutical drugs is no recent aberration; it has historically been more extensive than "street" or illicit drug use. Second, it argues that access to psychoactive pharmaceuticals was a problematic social entitlement constructed as distinctively medical amid the racialized reforms of the Progressive Era. The resulting drug control regime provided inadequate consumer protection for some (through the FDA), and overly punitive policing for others (through the FBN). Instead of seeing these as two separate stories-one a liberal triumph and the other a repressive scourge-both should be understood as part of the broader establishment of a consumer market for drugs segregated by class and race like other consumer markets developed in the era of Progressivism and Jim Crow.},
}

Drug and Narcotic Control/*history/legislation & jurisprudence
History, 20th Century
Humans
Racism/*history
Substance-Related Disorders/*history/psychology
United States
United States Food and Drug Administration/*history/organization & administration

@article {pmid29094992,
year = {2018},
author = {Mulligan, NW and Rawson, KA and Peterson, DJ and Wissman, KT},
title = {The replicability of the negative testing effect: Differences across participant populations.},
journal = {Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition},
volume = {44},
number = {5},
pages = {752-763},
doi = {10.1037/xlm0000490},
pmid = {29094992},
issn = {1939-1285},
mesh = {Adult ; Association Learning/*physiology ; *Cues ; Humans ; Mental Recall/*physiology ; Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology ; *Practice, Psychological ; Psychology, Experimental/*methods ; *Reading ; *Research Design ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {Although memory retrieval often enhances subsequent memory, Peterson and Mulligan (2013) reported conditions under which retrieval produces poorer subsequent recall-the negative testing effect. The item-specific-relational account proposes that the effect occurs when retrieval disrupts interitem organizational processing relative to the restudy condition. Rawson et al. (2015), in contrast, failed to replicate the negative testing effect despite repeated high-powered attempts. This article examines the discrepant results, ruling out differences in procedures, and concludes that differences in participant population produced the varying outcome. Specifically, participants from the University of North Carolina (UNC) and Kent State University (KSU) completed the same version of the negative-testing paradigm and were assessed on several measures of cognitive ability (working memory capacity, Raven's progressive matrices, and SAT or ACT score). For the UNC sample, free recall scores and the amount of category clustering (a measure of organizational processing) was greater in the restudy than retrieval condition (i.e., the negative testing effect was found); for the KSU sample, there was no difference on either measure. Furthermore, in the restudy condition, recall and clustering was greater for UNC than KSU students whereas in the retrieval condition, there was no effect of site on either measure. As expected, measures of cognitive ability were greater for the UNC than KSU sample. The results indicate that the negative testing effect is replicable but is subject to limitation related to the participant population. An analysis in terms of the relationship between cognitive ability and memory predicted this pattern of results. (PsycINFO Database Record},
}

Adult
Association Learning/*physiology
*Cues
Humans
Mental Recall/*physiology
Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology
*Practice, Psychological
Psychology, Experimental/*methods
*Reading
*Research Design
Young Adult

@article {pmid29128976,
year = {2018},
author = {Hartmann, K and Veit, L and Nieder, A},
title = {Neurons in the crow nidopallium caudolaterale encode varying durations of visual working memory periods.},
journal = {Experimental brain research},
volume = {236},
number = {1},
pages = {215-226},
pmid = {29128976},
issn = {1432-1106},
support = {NI 618/6-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/International ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Crows ; Female ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology ; Neurons/*physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Time Perception/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Adaptive sequential behaviors rely on the bridging and integration of temporally separate information for the realization of prospective goals. Corvids' remarkable behavioral flexibility is thought to depend on the workings of the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a high-level avian associative forebrain area. We trained carrion crows to remember visual items for three alternating delay durations in a delayed match-to-sample task and recorded single-unit activity from the NCL. Sample-selective delay activity, a correlate of visual working memory, was maintained throughout different working memory durations. Delay responses remained selective for the same preferred sample item across blocks with different delay durations. However, selectivity strength decreased with increasing delay durations, mirroring worsened behavioral performance with longer memory delays. Behavioral relevance of delay activity was further evidenced by reduced encoding of the preferred sample item during error trials. In addition, NCL neurons adapted their time-dependent discharges to blocks of different memory durations, so that delay duration could be successfully classified based on population activity a few trials after the delay duration switched. Therefore, NCL neurons not only maintain information from individual trials, but also keep track of the duration for which this information is needed in the context of the task. These results strengthen the role of corvid NCL in maintaining working memory for flexible control of temporally extended goal-directed behavior.},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal/physiology
Crows
Female
Male
Memory, Short-Term/*physiology
Neurons/*physiology
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Psychomotor Performance/*physiology
Telencephalon/*physiology
Time Perception/*physiology
Visual Perception/*physiology

@article {pmid29163144,
year = {2017},
author = {Trammell, JP and MacRae, PG and Davis, G and Bergstedt, D and Anderson, AE},
title = {The Relationship of Cognitive Performance and the Theta-Alpha Power Ratio Is Age-Dependent: An EEG Study of Short Term Memory and Reasoning during Task and Resting-State in Healthy Young and Old Adults.},
journal = {Frontiers in aging neuroscience},
volume = {9},
number = {},
pages = {364},
pmid = {29163144},
issn = {1663-4365},
support = {K25 AG051782/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States ; R03 MH106922/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {Objective: The Theta-Alpha ratio (TAR) is known to differ based upon age and cognitive ability, with pathological electroencephalography (EEG) patterns routinely found within neurodegenerative disorders of older adults. We hypothesized that cognitive ability would predict EEG metrics differently within healthy young and old adults, and that healthy old adults not showing age-expected EEG activity may be more likely to demonstrate cognitive deficits relative to old adults showing these expected changes. Methods: In 216 EEG blocks collected in 16 young and 20 old adults during rest (eyes open, eyes closed) and cognitive tasks (short-term memory [STM]; matrix reasoning [RM; Raven's matrices]), models assessed the contributing roles of cognitive ability, age, and task in predicting the TAR. A general linear mixed-effects regression model was used to model this relationship, including interaction effects to test whether increased cognitive ability predicted TAR differently for young and old adults at rest and during cognitive tasks. Results: The relationship between cognitive ability and the TAR across all blocks showed age-dependency, and cognitive performance at the CZ midline location predicted the TAR measure when accounting for the effect of age (p < 0.05, chi-square test of nested models). Age significantly interacted with STM performance in predicting the TAR (p < 0.05); increases in STM were associated with increased TAR in young adults, but not in old adults. RM showed similar interaction effects with aging and TAR (p < 0.10). Conclusion: EEG correlates of cognitive ability are age-dependent. Adults who did not show age-related EEG changes were more likely to exhibit cognitive deficits than those who showed age-related changes. This suggests that healthy aging should produce moderate changes in Alpha and TAR measures, and the absence of such changes signals impaired cognitive functioning.},
}

@article {pmid29175405,
year = {2018},
author = {Yang, F and Xie, S and Liu, J and Wei, C and Zhang, H and Chen, T and Zhang, J},
title = {Arsenic concentrations and speciation in wild birds from an abandoned realgar mine in China.},
journal = {Chemosphere},
volume = {193},
number = {},
pages = {777-784},
doi = {10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.11.098},
pmid = {29175405},
issn = {1879-1298},
mesh = {Animals ; Arsenates ; Arsenic/*analysis/chemistry ; Arsenicals/*analysis ; Arsenites ; *Birds ; Cacodylic Acid/analysis ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods ; Feathers/chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry/methods ; *Mining ; Muscle, Skeletal/chemistry ; Passeriformes ; Sulfides ; },
abstract = {Birds are at a higher level in the food chain; however, the potential bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic (As) in birds in As mines has rarely been studied. In this study, four passerine bird species (tree sparrow [Passer montanus], light-vented bulbul [Pycnonotus sinensis], Garrulax canorus [Leucodioptron canorus], and magpie [Pica pica]) were collected from an abandoned As mine in China. The highest recorded As concentrations were 4.95 mg/kg and 51.65 mg/kg in muscles and feathers, respectively. Detection using high-performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) revealed six As species, including arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), arsenobetaine (AsB) and arsenocholine (AsC), with the former three species as the dominant (>92%) and the latter three as the minor As species (<6.17%). Further analysis of the selected bird samples using the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) technique revealed the existence of As(III)-tris-glutathione (As(III)-GSH), which can be regarded as equivalent to the non-extractable and unidentified As form in the HPLC-ICP-MS data. Both methods revealed similar patterns of As species in the birds from the As mine, with muscles containing mainly inorganic As and DMA and feathers containing mainly inorganic As. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge regarding As accumulation and speciation in terrestrial organisms.},
}

Animals
Arsenates
Arsenic/*analysis/chemistry
Arsenicals/*analysis
Arsenites
*Birds
Cacodylic Acid/analysis
China
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods
Feathers/chemistry
Mass Spectrometry/methods
*Mining
Muscle, Skeletal/chemistry
Passeriformes
Sulfides

@article {pmid29176725,
year = {2017},
author = {Chen, Z and De Beuckelaer, A and Wang, X and Liu, J},
title = {Distinct neural substrates of visuospatial and verbal-analytic reasoning as assessed by Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {16230},
pmid = {29176725},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Brain/diagnostic imaging/*physiology ; *Brain Mapping ; Female ; Humans ; *Intelligence ; Language ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {Recent studies revealed spontaneous neural activity to be associated with fluid intelligence (gF) which is commonly assessed by Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, and embeds two types of reasoning: visuospatial and verbal-analytic reasoning. With resting-state fMRI data, using global brain connectivity (GBC) analysis which averages functional connectivity of a voxel in relation to all other voxels in the brain, distinct neural correlates of these two reasoning types were found. For visuospatial reasoning, negative correlations were observed in both the primary visual cortex (PVC) and the precuneus, and positive correlations were observed in the temporal lobe. For verbal-analytic reasoning, negative correlations were observed in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and temporoparietal junction, and positive correlations were observed in the angular gyrus. Furthermore, an interaction between GBC value and type of reasoning was found in the PVC, rIFG and the temporal lobe. These findings suggest that visuospatial reasoning benefits more from elaborate perception to stimulus features, whereas verbal-analytic reasoning benefits more from feature integration and hypothesis testing. In sum, the present study offers, for different types of reasoning in gF, first empirical evidence of separate neural substrates in the resting brain.},
}

Adolescent
Brain/diagnostic imaging/*physiology
*Brain Mapping
Female
Humans
*Intelligence
Language
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Young Adult

@article {pmid29180719,
year = {2018},
author = {Krzemińska, U and Morales, HE and Greening, C and Nyári, ÁS and Wilson, R and Song, BK and Austin, CM and Sunnucks, P and Pavlova, A and Rahman, S},
title = {Population mitogenomics provides insights into evolutionary history, source of invasions and diversifying selection in the House Crow (Corvus splendens).},
journal = {Heredity},
volume = {120},
number = {4},
pages = {296-309},
pmid = {29180719},
issn = {1365-2540},
mesh = {Africa ; Animals ; Asia ; Bayes Theorem ; *Biological Evolution ; Codon ; Crows/*genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; Ecosystem ; Genetic Variation ; *Genetics, Population ; *Genome, Mitochondrial ; Phylogeny ; Phylogeography ; *Selection, Genetic ; },
abstract = {The House Crow (Corvus splendens) is a useful study system for investigating the genetic basis of adaptations underpinning successful range expansion. The species originates from the Indian subcontinent, but has successfully spread through a variety of thermal environments across Asia, Africa and Europe. Here, population mitogenomics was used to investigate the colonisation history and to test for signals of molecular selection on the mitochondrial genome. We sequenced the mitogenomes of 89 House Crows spanning four native and five invasive populations. A Bayesian dated phylogeny, based on the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes, supports a mid-Pleistocene (~630,000 years ago) divergence between the most distant genetic lineages. Phylogeographic patterns suggest that northern South Asia is the likely centre of origin for the species. Codon-based analyses of selection and assessments of changes in amino acid properties provide evidence of positive selection on the ND2 and ND5 genes against a background of purifying selection across the mitogenome. Protein homology modelling suggests that four amino acid substitutions inferred to be under positive selection may modulate coupling efficiency and proton translocation mediated by OXPHOS complex I. The identified substitutions are found within native House Crow lineages and ecological niche modelling predicts suitable climatic areas for the establishment of crow populations within the invasive range. Mitogenomic patterns in the invasive range of the species are more strongly associated with introduction history than climate. We speculate that invasions of the House Crow have been facilitated by standing genetic variation that accumulated due to diversifying selection within the native range.},
}

Africa
Animals
Asia
Bayes Theorem
*Biological Evolution
Codon
Crows/*genetics
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
Ecosystem
Genetic Variation
*Genetics, Population
*Genome, Mitochondrial
Phylogeny
Phylogeography
*Selection, Genetic

@article {pmid29187607,
year = {2017},
author = {Found, R},
title = {Interactions between cleaner-birds and ungulates are personality dependent.},
journal = {Biology letters},
volume = {13},
number = {11},
pages = {},
pmid = {29187607},
issn = {1744-957X},
mesh = {Aggression ; Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Deer/*psychology ; *Passeriformes ; Personality ; },
abstract = {While a growing body of literature explores the ecological implications of consistent individual variation in the behaviour of wildlife, few studies have looked at the reciprocal influences of personality within interspecific interactions, despite the potentially significant impacts on biodiversity. Here I used two species involved in cleaner-bird behaviour-black-billed magpies (Pica pica) and Rocky mountain elk (Cervus canadensis)-to show that the exhibition of mutualistic behaviour can depend on the personality of the individual involved. I recorded suites of correlated behaviours in both elk and magpies to derive personality gradients from 'shy' to 'bold', which I compared with observations of interspecific interactions. I measured each half of this mutualistic relationship separately. I found that bold elk were more likely to aggressively reject magpie landings, while shy elk allowed magpies to land and groom them. Contrastingly, I found it was bold magpies that were willing to risk landings, while shy magpies rarely attempted landings. These results show that the exhibition of interspecific behaviour is predicated on the personality of the individuals, and thus likely contributes to the selection and maintenance of personality variation within populations.},
}

Aggression
Animals
*Behavior, Animal
Deer/*psychology
*Passeriformes
Personality

@article {pmid29209190,
year = {2017},
author = {Amin, HU and Mumtaz, W and Subhani, AR and Saad, MNM and Malik, AS},
title = {Classification of EEG Signals Based on Pattern Recognition Approach.},
journal = {Frontiers in computational neuroscience},
volume = {11},
number = {},
pages = {103},
pmid = {29209190},
issn = {1662-5188},
abstract = {Feature extraction is an important step in the process of electroencephalogram (EEG) signal classification. The authors propose a "pattern recognition" approach that discriminates EEG signals recorded during different cognitive conditions. Wavelet based feature extraction such as, multi-resolution decompositions into detailed and approximate coefficients as well as relative wavelet energy were computed. Extracted relative wavelet energy features were normalized to zero mean and unit variance and then optimized using Fisher's discriminant ratio (FDR) and principal component analysis (PCA). A high density EEG dataset validated the proposed method (128-channels) by identifying two classifications: (1) EEG signals recorded during complex cognitive tasks using Raven's Advance Progressive Metric (RAPM) test; (2) EEG signals recorded during a baseline task (eyes open). Classifiers such as, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP), and Naïve Bayes (NB) were then employed. Outcomes yielded 99.11% accuracy via SVM classifier for coefficient approximations (A5) of low frequencies ranging from 0 to 3.90 Hz. Accuracy rates for detailed coefficients were 98.57 and 98.39% for SVM and KNN, respectively; and for detailed coefficients (D5) deriving from the sub-band range (3.90-7.81 Hz). Accuracy rates for MLP and NB classifiers were comparable at 97.11-89.63% and 91.60-81.07% for A5 and D5 coefficients, respectively. In addition, the proposed approach was also applied on public dataset for classification of two cognitive tasks and achieved comparable classification results, i.e., 93.33% accuracy with KNN. The proposed scheme yielded significantly higher classification performances using machine learning classifiers compared to extant quantitative feature extraction. These results suggest the proposed feature extraction method reliably classifies EEG signals recorded during cognitive tasks with a higher degree of accuracy.},
}

@article {pmid29213080,
year = {2017},
author = {Danel, S and Osiurak, F and von Bayern, AMP},
title = {From the Age of 5 Humans Decide Economically, Whereas Crows Exhibit Individual Preferences.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {17043},
pmid = {29213080},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Adult ; Animals ; Child, Preschool ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Problem Solving ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {Human societies greatly depend on tools, which spare us considerable time and effort. Humans might have evolved a bias to employ tools, using them even when they are unnecessary. This study aimed to investigate whether adult humans and a distantly related habitually tool-using vertebrate species, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides), use tools depending on their necessity. In addition, children aged 3 to 5 years were examined to investigate the developmental pattern. The task involved choosing between using a body part (i.e. crows: beak; humans: hand) or a tool for retrieving a reward from a box. All subjects were tested in two conditions. In the Body+/Tool- condition, using the body was more efficient than using the tool, and conversely in the Body-/Tool+ condition. Our results suggest that the capacity to employ tools economically develops late in humans. Crows, however, failed to choose economically. At the individual level, some subjects exhibited striking individual preferences for either using a tool or their beak throughout the task. Whether such biases depend on individual experience or whether they are genetically determined remains to be investigated. Our findings provide new insights about tool use and its cognitive implementation in two outstanding tool-using taxa.},
}

Adult
Animals
Child, Preschool
Crows/*physiology
Female
Humans
Male
Problem Solving
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid29213642,
year = {2009},
author = {de Oliveira, MO and Porto, CS and Brucki, SMD},
title = {S-TOFHLA in mild Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment patients as a measure of functional literacy: Preliminary study.},
journal = {Dementia & neuropsychologia},
volume = {3},
number = {4},
pages = {291-298},
pmid = {29213642},
issn = {1980-5764},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: The greatest difficulty in diagnosing cognitive loss in our population is the diversity of its education which has a broad spectrum ranging from illiteracy, functional illiteracy and different degrees of literacy, even in those with the same level of schooling.

OBJECTIVES: To verify whether there is impairment on the S-TOFHLA among individuals with AD and MCI compared with healthy controls, and to compare performance on the S-TOFHLA performance with neuropsychological tests and the scores achieved on the Raven's Colored Matrices and Vocabulary and Block Design (WAIS-III) as a measure of estimated intellectual level.

METHODS: 59 subjects: controls (n=23; age 70.96±8.31y; schooling 10.2±5.87y; 6 men), MCI patients (n=11; age 74.18±8.12y; schooling 7.55±4.32y; 5 men) and AD patients (n=25; age 76.16±4.96y; schooling 7.32±4.78y; 10 men) were submitted to neuropsychological assessment, S-TOFHLA and functional evaluation.

RESULTS: Differences on BD, Raven and Estimated IQ were found between controls and MCI patients as well as controls and AD patients. On the S-TOFHLA, differences were found between MCI and AD patients, controls and AD patients, but not between control and MCI groups. S-TOFHLA performance correlated strongly with schooling and all neuropsychological tests, except Clock Drawing.

CONCLUSIONS: The S-TOFHLA seems to be a useful measure for determining the level of literacy in MCI patients, but not in AD patients. S-TOFHLA performance was more closely associated with neuropsychological test scores than were years of education and seems to be a good predictor of level of literacy. The Vocabulary subtest proved to be uninfluenced by the disease process in early stages and preserved in both MCI and AD patients, showing that semantic memory and crystallized intelligence are preserved.},
}

@article {pmid29217466,
year = {2018},
author = {Elderbrock, EK and Small, TW and Schoech, SJ},
title = {Influence of corticosterone treatment on nestling begging in Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens).},
journal = {General and comparative endocrinology},
volume = {259},
number = {},
pages = {213-222},
doi = {10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.12.003},
pmid = {29217466},
issn = {1095-6840},
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds ; Corticosterone/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Nesting Behavior/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Altricial young are dependent on adults for protection and food, and they display nutritional need by begging to elicit feeding from parents. Begging at high levels can be energetically expensive and attract predators; thus, an individual must balance its nutritional needs with these potential costs. Further, because a parent is limited in the amount of food it can provide, begging can contribute to both parent-offspring conflict and sibling-sibling competition. Many extrinsic and intrinsic factors may contribute to begging behavior. One intrinsic factor of interest is corticosterone (CORT), a metabolic hormone hypothesized to play a role in regulating a nestling's begging behavior. We investigated the hypothesis that increased exposure to CORT influences nestling begging behavior in an altricial species, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). We treated one nestling per treatment nest with a twice-daily dose of exogenous hormone via a CORT-injected waxworm, whereas a second individual received a vehicle-injected waxworm. We monitored individual nestling and adult behavior at all nests with the use of high-definition video cameras on several days during treatment. We found no difference in begging rate between CORT fed and vehicle fed nestlings within a treatment nest. Further, to determine whether CORT treatment had indirect effects on the entire brood, we monitored additional nests, in which nestlings were not manipulated. When treatment and controls were compared, overall begging rates of nestlings in treatment nests were greater than those in control nests. This result suggests that CORT treatment of an individual altered its behavior, as well as that of its siblings.},
}

Animals
*Birds
Corticosterone/pharmacology/*therapeutic use
Female
Nesting Behavior/*physiology

@article {pmid29225028,
year = {2017},
author = {Sugasawa, S and Klump, BC and St Clair, JJH and Rutz, C},
title = {Causes and Consequences of Tool Shape Variation in New Caledonian Crows.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {27},
number = {24},
pages = {3885-3890.e4},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.028},
pmid = {29225028},
issn = {1879-0445},
mesh = {Age Factors ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {Hominins have been making tools for over three million years [1], yet the earliest known hooked tools appeared as recently as 90,000 years ago [2]. Hook innovation is likely to have boosted our ancestors' hunting and fishing efficiency [3], marking a major transition in human technological evolution. The New Caledonian crow is the only non-human animal known to craft hooks in the wild [4, 5]. Crows manufacture hooked stick tools in a multi-stage process, involving the detachment of a branch from suitable vegetation; "sculpting" of a terminal hook from the nodal joint; and often additional adjustments, such as length trimming, shaft bending, and bark stripping [4, 6, 7]. Although tools made by a given population share key design features [4, 6, 8], they vary appreciably in overall shape and hook dimensions. Using wild-caught, temporarily captive crows, we experimentally investigated causes and consequences of variation in hook-tool morphology. We found that bird age, manufacture method, and raw-material properties influenced tool morphology, and that hook geometry in turn affected crows' foraging efficiency. Specifically, hook depth varied with both detachment technique and plant rigidity, and deeper hooks enabled faster prey extraction in the provided tasks. Older crows manufactured tools of distinctive shape, with pronounced shaft curvature and hooks of intermediate depth. Future work should explore the interactive effects of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on tool production and deployment. Our study provides a quantitative assessment of the drivers and functional significance of tool shape variation in a non-human animal, affording valuable comparative insights into early hominin tool crafting [9].},
}

Age Factors
Animals
Crows/*physiology
Feeding Behavior
Female
Male
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid29229413,
year = {2018},
author = {Taufique, SKT and Prabhat, A and Kumar, V},
title = {Constant light environment suppresses maturation and reduces complexity of new born neuron processes in the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium of a diurnal corvid: Implication for impairment of the learning and cognitive performance.},
journal = {Neurobiology of learning and memory},
volume = {147},
number = {},
pages = {120-127},
doi = {10.1016/j.nlm.2017.12.001},
pmid = {29229413},
issn = {1095-9564},
mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Association Learning/*physiology ; Cerebral Cortex/metabolism/*physiology ; Circadian Rhythm/*physiology ; Crows/metabolism/*physiology ; Doublecortin Domain Proteins ; Doublecortin Protein ; Hippocampus/physiology ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/*metabolism ; Neurogenesis/*physiology ; Neuropeptides/*metabolism ; *Photoperiod ; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology ; Spatial Learning/*physiology ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/*metabolism ; },
abstract = {Periodic day-night environment shapes the temporal pattern in the behaviour and physiology (e.g. 24-h activity-rest and sleep-wake cycles) and the advanced brain function, such as learning, memory and decision making. In a previous study, we showed the abolition of 24-h rhythm in the activity-rest pattern, and an attenuated cognitive performance in diurnal Indian house crows (Corvus splendens) under constant light (no-night; LL) environment. Present study extended this, and investigated LL-induced effects on the neurogenesis (birth, maturation and neurite complexity of new born neurons) in the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium, the brain regions directly associated with learning and cognition in birds. We performed immunohistochemistry of doublecortin (DCX; a neurogenesis marker) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a key enzyme of the dopamine biosynthesis) in the brain section containing hippocampus or caudal nidopallium of Indian house crows exposed for 2 weeks to LL, with controls maintained under 12L:12D. As expected, crows showed arrhythmicity with a significantly reduced rest period in the 24-h activity-rest pattern, and a decreased cognitive performance when tested for the spatial and pattern association learning tasks under LL. Importantly, there was a significant decrease in DCX-immunoreactive (ir) cells and, as shown by Sholl analysis, in the complexity of DCX-ir neurites in both, the hippocampus and caudal nidopallium of crows under LL, as compared to those under 12L:12D. The anatomical proximity of DCX-ir neurons with TH-ir fibers suggested a functional association of the new born hippocampal and caudal nidopallial neurons with the learning, and perhaps cognition in Indian house crows. These results give insights into possible impact of the loss of night on brain health and functions in an emerging ecosystem in which other diurnal species including humans may be inadvertently exposed to an illuminated night, such as in an overly lighted metropolitan urban habitat.},
}

Animals
Animals, Wild
Association Learning/*physiology
Cerebral Cortex/metabolism/*physiology
Circadian Rhythm/*physiology
Crows/metabolism/*physiology
Doublecortin Domain Proteins
Doublecortin Protein
Hippocampus/physiology
Microtubule-Associated Proteins/*metabolism
Neurogenesis/*physiology
Neuropeptides/*metabolism
*Photoperiod
Psychomotor Performance/*physiology
Spatial Learning/*physiology
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/*metabolism

@article {pmid29233938,
year = {2018},
author = {Bustillo-Avendaño, E and Ibáñez, S and Sanz, O and Sousa Barros, JA and Gude, I and Perianez-Rodriguez, J and Micol, JL and Del Pozo, JC and Moreno-Risueno, MA and Pérez-Pérez, JM},
title = {Regulation of Hormonal Control, Cell Reprogramming, and Patterning during De Novo Root Organogenesis.},
journal = {Plant physiology},
volume = {176},
number = {2},
pages = {1709-1727},
pmid = {29233938},
issn = {1532-2548},
mesh = {Arabidopsis/*genetics/growth & development ; *Cellular Reprogramming ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Indoleacetic Acids/*metabolism ; Models, Biological ; Plant Growth Regulators/*metabolism ; Plant Leaves/genetics/growth & development ; Plant Roots/genetics/growth & development ; Regeneration ; *Signal Transduction ; },
abstract = {Body regeneration through formation of new organs is a major question in developmental biology. We investigated de novo root formation using whole leaves of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Our results show that local cytokinin biosynthesis and auxin biosynthesis in the leaf blade followed by auxin long-distance transport to the petiole leads to proliferation of J0121-marked xylem-associated tissues and others through signaling of INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID INDUCIBLE28 (IAA28), CRANE (IAA18), WOODEN LEG, and ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORS1 (ARR1), ARR10, and ARR12. Vasculature proliferation also involves the cell cycle regulator KIP-RELATED PROTEIN2 and ABERRANT LATERAL ROOT FORMATION4, resulting in a mass of cells with rooting competence that resembles callus formation. Endogenous callus formation precedes specification of postembryonic root founder cells, from which roots are initiated through the activity of SHORT-ROOT, PLETHORA1 (PLT1), and PLT2. Primordia initiation is blocked in shr plt1 plt2 mutant. Stem cell regulators SCHIZORIZA, JACKDAW, BLUEJAY, and SCARECROW also participate in root initiation and are required to pattern the new organ, as mutants show disorganized and reduced number of layers and tissue initials resulting in reduced rooting. Our work provides an organ regeneration model through de novo root formation, stating key stages and the primary pathways involved.},
}

Arabidopsis/*genetics/growth & development
*Cellular Reprogramming
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
*Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Indoleacetic Acids/*metabolism
Models, Biological
Plant Growth Regulators/*metabolism
Plant Leaves/genetics/growth & development
Plant Roots/genetics/growth & development
Regeneration
*Signal Transduction

@article {pmid29238321,
year = {2017},
author = {Kabadayi, C and Jacobs, I and Osvath, M},
title = {The Development of Motor Self-Regulation in Ravens.},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
volume = {8},
number = {},
pages = {2100},
pmid = {29238321},
issn = {1664-1078},
abstract = {Inhibitory control refers to the ability to stop impulses in favor of more appropriate behavior, and it constitutes one of the underlying cognitive functions associated with cognitive flexibility. Much attention has been given to cross-species comparisons of inhibitory control; however, less is known about how and when these abilities develop. Mapping the ontogeny of inhibitory control in different species may therefore reveal foundational elements behind cognitive processes and their evolution. In this study, we tested the development of motor self-regulation in raven chicks (Corvus corax), using two detour tasks that required inhibition of motor impulses to directly reach for a visible reward behind a barrier. One task included a mesh barrier, which partly occluded the reward, and the other task used a completely transparent barrier, the cylinder task. The results suggest that the more visible a reward is, the more difficult it is to inhibit motor impulses toward it, and further, that this inhibitory challenge gradually decreases during development. The mesh barrier is reliably detoured before the animals pass the task with the wholly transparent cylinder. As the majority of the birds begun testing as nestlings, and as we provided them with experiences they normally would not receive in a nest, it is likely that they showed the earliest possible onset of these skills. A control subject, tested at a later age, showed that the mesh detours required no particular training, but that tasks including complete transparency likely require more specific experiences. Adult ravens without explicit training are highly proficient in inhibitory detour tasks, and, together with chimpanzees, they are the best performers of all tested species in the cylinder task. Our results suggest that their skills develop early in life, around their third month. Their developmental pattern of inhibitory skills for detours resembles that of children and rhesus macaques, albeit the pace of development is markedly faster in ravens. Investigating the development of cognition is crucial to understanding its foundations within and across species.},
}

@article {pmid29238522,
year = {2017},
author = {Dohms, KM and Graham, BA and Burg, TM},
title = {Multilocus genetic analyses and spatial modeling reveal complex population structure and history in a widespread resident North American passerine (Perisoreus canadensis).},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {7},
number = {23},
pages = {9869-9889},
pmid = {29238522},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {An increasing body of studies of widely distributed, high latitude species shows a variety of refugial locations and population genetic patterns. We examined the effects of glaciations and dispersal barriers on the population genetic patterns of a widely distributed, high latitude, resident corvid, the gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis), using the highly variable mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and microsatellite markers combined with species distribution modeling. We sequenced 914 bp of mtDNA control region for 375 individuals from 37 populations and screened seven loci for 402 individuals from 27 populations across the gray jay range. We used species distribution modeling and a range of phylogeographic analyses (haplotype diversity, ΦST, SAMOVA, FST, Bayesian clustering analyses) to examine evolutionary history and population genetic structure. MtDNA and microsatellite markers revealed significant genetic differentiation among populations with high concordance between markers. Paleodistribution models supported at least five potential areas of suitable gray jay habitat during the last glacial maximum and revealed distributions similar to the gray jay's contemporary during the last interglacial. Colonization from and prolonged isolation in multiple refugia is evident. Historical climatic fluctuations, the presence of multiple dispersal barriers, and highly restricted gene flow appear to be responsible for strong genetic diversification and differentiation in gray jays.},
}

@article {pmid29244069,
year = {2018},
author = {Weinkle, SH and Werschler, WP and Teller, CF and Sykes, JM and Shamban, A and Rivkin, A and Narurkar, VA and Kaminer, MS and Dayan, S and Cohen, JL and Gallagher, CJ},
title = {Impact of Comprehensive, Minimally Invasive, Multimodal Aesthetic Treatment on Satisfaction With Facial Appearance: The HARMONY Study.},
journal = {Aesthetic surgery journal},
volume = {38},
number = {5},
pages = {540-556},
doi = {10.1093/asj/sjx179},
pmid = {29244069},
issn = {1527-330X},
mesh = {Adult ; Bimatoprost/*administration & dosage ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy/methods ; *Cosmetic Techniques ; Dermal Fillers/*administration & dosage ; Esthetics ; Face ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; Prospective Studies ; *Rejuvenation ; Self Concept ; Skin Aging ; Treatment Outcome ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Individuals seeking aesthetic treatment have concerns regarding multiple facial areas.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the aesthetic impact and satisfaction achieved with a multimodal approach to aesthetic treatment using a combination of minimally invasive treatments.

METHODS: Prospective, multicenter, rater-blinded, 4-month HARMONY study evaluated patient satisfaction and aesthetic impact of a combination of fillers (VYC-20L, HYC-24L, and HYC-24L+), onabotulinumtoxinA, and bimatoprost. Males and females aged 35 to 65 years received on-label, staged treatment with fillers, as needed per investigator assessment, on day 1, with touch ups allowed on day 14. Bimatoprost was self-administered once daily for 17 weeks. OnabotulinumtoxinA was injected into glabellar lines, crow's feet lines, or both at month 3. Primary effectiveness measure was mean change from baseline on the FACE-Q 10-item Satisfaction with Facial Appearance Overall Scale.

RESULTS: Of 100 patients treated, 93 underwent at least the 4-month posttreatment assessment and were assessed for efficacy. The FACE-Q Satisfaction with Facial Appearance Overall Scale total score increased from baseline (41.2) to month 4 (72.9; P < 0.00001; effect size, 2.7). Improvement following multimodal treatment was observed on FACE-Q individual items. Self-perceived age decreased from 0.2 years older than actual age at baseline to 4.6 years younger at month 4. Nearly all patients (99%) rated themselves as improved or much improved on the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale. Investigator assessments also demonstrated improvement. Mild to moderate adverse events occurred in 42 patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive, multimodal treatment resulted in improvements in FACE-Q scores and perceived age, indicating a high degree of patient satisfaction and a younger facial appearance.},
}

Adult
Bimatoprost/*administration & dosage
Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*administration & dosage
Combined Modality Therapy/methods
*Cosmetic Techniques
Dermal Fillers/*administration & dosage
Esthetics
Face
Female
Humans
Injections, Intramuscular
Injections, Subcutaneous
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Satisfaction
Prospective Studies
*Rejuvenation
Self Concept
Skin Aging
Treatment Outcome

@article {pmid29249025,
year = {2018},
author = {Grúz, A and Déri, J and Szemerédy, G and Szabó, K and Kormos, É and Bartha, A and Lehel, J and Budai, P},
title = {Monitoring of heavy metal burden in wild birds at eastern/north-eastern part of Hungary.},
journal = {Environmental science and pollution research international},
volume = {25},
number = {7},
pages = {6378-6386},
pmid = {29249025},
issn = {1614-7499},
mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/*metabolism ; Birds/*metabolism ; Body Burden ; Environmental Monitoring/*methods ; Environmental Pollutants/*analysis ; Feathers/*chemistry ; Hungary ; Metals, Heavy/*analysis ; },
abstract = {Concentrations of different heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) were examined in the contour feathers of long-eared owl (Asio otus), little owl (Athene noctua), tawny owl (Strix aluco), barn owl (Tyto alba), Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), rook (Corvus frugilegus), hooded crow (Corvus cornix), carrion crow (Corvus corone), common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). The samples were collected from the Hortobágyi Madárpark (Bird Hospital Foundation) in Hungary. The bird species were classified into six groups based on their nourishment. Feathers were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The aim of our study was to determine the concentration of the above-mentioned heavy metals in the six different groups and to compare them by the groups, to find a possible connection between the concentrations and the age of birds and to get some information about the heavy metal burden of the environment. The highest As concentration was measured in little owl (0.65 ± 0.56 mg/kg). The highest Cd, Cr and Pb concentration was found in the feathers of barn swallow (0.13 ± 0.06 mg/kg; 1.69 ± 0.44 mg/kg; 5.36 ± 1.46 mg/kg), while the highest Cu and Hg concentration (65.45 ± 17.66 mg/kg; 2.72 ± 1.08 mg/kg) in sparrowhawk feathers and the highest Zn concentration in owls (157.21 ± 57.3 mg/kg). Statistically significant difference has been determined between the juvenile and adult crows in the case of Cd (p = 0.011). The higher concentration was measured in adults (0.14 ± 0.04 mg/kg) than that in juveniles (0.08 ± 0.02 mg/kg). Based on our results, the examined area is not contaminated by these heavy metals on that level, which can cause any adverse effect or poisoning in birds, so this region is safe to wildlife.},
}

Animals
Animals, Wild/*metabolism
Birds/*metabolism
Body Burden
Environmental Monitoring/*methods
Environmental Pollutants/*analysis
Feathers/*chemistry
Hungary
Metals, Heavy/*analysis

@article {pmid29257965,
year = {2017},
author = {van Casteren, A},
title = {Tool Use: Crows Craft the Right Tool for the Job.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {27},
number = {24},
pages = {R1314-R1316},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.022},
pmid = {29257965},
issn = {1879-0445},
mesh = {Animals ; *Crows ; Language ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {New research into tool crafting in New Caledonian crows has uncovered factors that influence tool shape and the foraging advantages that these characteristics confer.},
}

Animals
*Crows
Language
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid29274762,
year = {2018},
author = {Gallup, GG and Anderson, JR},
title = {The "olfactory mirror" and other recent attempts to demonstrate self-recognition in non-primate species.},
journal = {Behavioural processes},
volume = {148},
number = {},
pages = {16-19},
doi = {10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.010},
pmid = {29274762},
issn = {1872-8308},
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; *Ego ; Olfactory Perception/*physiology ; Recognition, Psychology/*physiology ; Smell/physiology ; },
abstract = {The recent attempt by Horowitz (2017) to develop an "olfactory mirror" test of self-recognition in domestic dogs raises some important questions about the kinds of data that are required to provide definitive evidence for self-recognition in dogs and other species. We conclude that the "olfactory mirror" constitutes a compelling analog to the mark test for mirror self-recognition in primates, but despite claims to the contrary neither dogs, elephants, dolphins, magpies, horses, manta rays, squid, nor ants have shown compelling, reproducible evidence for self-recognition in any modality.},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
*Ego
Olfactory Perception/*physiology
Recognition, Psychology/*physiology
Smell/physiology

@article {pmid29278961,
year = {2018},
author = {Elridy, AS and Zaki, RGE and Elshinawy, RF},
title = {Comparison of the Clinical Efficacy of Abobotulinumtoxin A (ABO) and Onabotulinumtoxin A (ONA) in the Treatment of Crow's Feet Wrinkles: A Split-Face Study.},
journal = {Seminars in ophthalmology},
volume = {33},
number = {6},
pages = {739-747},
doi = {10.1080/08820538.2017.1418013},
pmid = {29278961},
issn = {1744-5205},
mesh = {Acetylcholine Release Inhibitors/administration & dosage ; Adult ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*administration & dosage ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Patient Satisfaction ; Single-Blind Method ; Skin Aging/*drug effects ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: Comparing the clinical efficacy of Abobotulinumtoxin A (ABO) and Onabotulinumtoxin A(ONA) using a dosing ratio of 2.5U:1.0U in the treatment of crow's feet wrinkles.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A single-blinded, randomized, split-face study, included 40 subjects, with moderate-to-severe crow's feet wrinkles. Patients were subjected to a dose equivalence of (ABO):(ONA); 2.5:1.0 U. Post treatment evaluation was done on 7, 30, and 120 days, comparing: Time, Duration, and Degree of Improvement; Patients Satisfaction.

RESULTS: No significant difference was found between ABO & ONA regarding duration and time to improvement on static posture. While on dynamic posture, ABO showed significantly less time and longer duration. Both products produced highly significant improvement of the wrinkles' severity on both static and dynamic posture in comparison to the baseline severity. Satisfaction was more with ABO.

CONCLUSION: ABO is a safe, effective alternative to ONA in treating crow's feet wrinkles.},
}

Acetylcholine Release Inhibitors/administration & dosage
Adult
Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*administration & dosage
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Injections, Intramuscular
Male
Middle Aged
*Patient Satisfaction
Single-Blind Method
Skin Aging/*drug effects
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome

@article {pmid29285478,
year = {2017},
author = {Najafi, M and Akouchekian, S and Ghaderi, A and Mahaki, B and Rezaei, M},
title = {Multiple Intelligences Profiles of Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder in Comparison with Nonattention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.},
journal = {Advanced biomedical research},
volume = {6},
number = {},
pages = {148},
pmid = {29285478},
issn = {2277-9175},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychological problem during childhood. This study aimed to evaluate multiple intelligences profiles of children with ADHD in comparison with non-ADHD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was done on 50 children of 6-13 years old in two groups of with and without ADHD. Children with ADHD were referred to Clinics of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, in 2014. Samples were selected based on clinical interview (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV and parent-teacher strengths and difficulties questionnaire), which was done by psychiatrist and psychologist. Raven intelligence quotient (IQ) test was used, and the findings were compared to the results of multiple intelligences test. Data analysis was done using a multivariate analysis of covariance using SPSS20 software.

RESULTS: Comparing the profiles of multiple intelligence among two groups, there are more kinds of multiple intelligences in control group than ADHD group, a difference which has been more significant in logical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference with the other kinds of multiple intelligences in two groups (P > 0.05). The IQ average score in the control group and ADHD group was 102.42 ± 16.26 and 96.72 ± 16.06, respectively, that reveals the negative effect of ADHD on IQ average value. There was an insignificance relationship between linguistic and naturalist intelligence (P > 0.05). However, in other kinds of multiple intelligences, direct and significant relationships were observed (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Since the levels of IQ (Raven test) and MI in control group were more significant than ADHD group, ADHD is likely to be associated with logical-mathematical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal profiles.},
}

@article {pmid29299036,
year = {2017},
author = {Szipl, G and Ringler, E and Spreafico, M and Bugnyar, T},
title = {Calls during agonistic interactions vary with arousal and raise audience attention in ravens.},
journal = {Frontiers in zoology},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {57},
pmid = {29299036},
issn = {1742-9994},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Acoustic properties of vocalizations can vary with the internal state of the caller, and may serve as reliable indicators for a caller's emotional state, for example to prevent conflicts. Thus, individuals may associate distinct characteristics in acoustic signals of conspecifics with specific social contexts, and adjust their behaviour accordingly to prevent escalation of conflicts. Common ravens (Corvus corax) crowd-forage with individuals of different age classes, sex, and rank, assemble at feeding sites, and engage in agonistic interactions of varying intensity. Attacked individuals frequently utter defensive calls in order to appease the aggressor. Here, we investigated if acoustic properties of defensive calls change with varying levels of aggression, and if bystanders respond to these changes.

RESULTS: Individuals were more likely to utter defensive calls when the attack involved contact aggression, and when the attacker was higher in rank than the victim. Defensive calls produced during intense conflicts were longer and uttered at higher rates, and showed higher fundamental frequency- and amplitude-related measures than calls uttered during low-intensity aggression, indicating arousal-based changes in defensive calls. Playback experiments showed that ravens were more likely to react in response to defensive calls with higher fundamental frequency by orientating towards the speakers as compared to original calls and calls manipulated in duration.

CONCLUSIONS: Arousal-based changes are encoded in acoustic parameters of defensive calls in attacked ravens, and bystanders in the audience pay attention to the degree of arousal in attacked conspecifics. Our findings imply that common ravens can regulate conflicts with conspecifics by means of vocalizations, and are able to gather social knowledge from conspecific calls.},
}

@article {pmid29316266,
year = {2019},
author = {Subias, L and Griffin, AS and Guez, D},
title = {Inference by exclusion in the red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii).},
journal = {Integrative zoology},
volume = {14},
number = {2},
pages = {193-203},
doi = {10.1111/1749-4877.12299},
pmid = {29316266},
issn = {1749-4877},
mesh = {Animals ; *Choice Behavior ; *Cockatoos ; Discrimination, Psychological ; Female ; Male ; *Psychomotor Performance ; },
abstract = {Inference by exclusion is the ability to select a given option by excluding the others. When designed appropriately, tests of this ability can reveal choices that cannot be explained by associative processes. Over the past decade, exclusion reasoning has been explored in several non-human taxonomic groups, including birds, mainly in Corvids and Parrots. To increase our understanding of the taxonomic distribution of exclusion reasoning and, therefore, its evolution, we investigated exclusion performances in red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii), an Australian relative of the Goffin cockatoo (Cacatua goffini), using a food-finding task. Cockatoos were required to find a food item hidden in 1 of the 2 experimenter's hands. Following training sessions in which they reliably selected the closed baited hand they had just been shown open, each individual was tested on 4 different conditions. Critical to demonstrating exclusion reasoning was the condition in which they were shown the empty hand and then offered a choice of both closed hands. The performance of all birds was above chance on all experimental conditions but not on an olfactory and/or cuing control condition. The results suggest that the birds might be able to infer by exclusion, although an explanation based on rule learning cannot be excluded. This first experiment in red-tailed black cockatoo highlights the potential of this species as a model to study avian cognition and paves the pathway for future investigations.},
}

Animals
*Choice Behavior
*Cockatoos
Discrimination, Psychological
Female
Male
*Psychomotor Performance

@article {pmid29320499,
year = {2018},
author = {Morrison, R and Reiss, D},
title = {Precocious development of self-awareness in dolphins.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {e0189813},
pmid = {29320499},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Awareness ; Bottle-Nosed Dolphin/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Mirror-self recognition (MSR) is a behavioral indicator of self-awareness in young children and only a few other species, including the great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. The emergence of self-awareness in children typically occurs during the second year and has been correlated with sensorimotor development and growing social and self-awareness. Comparative studies of MSR in chimpanzees report that the onset of this ability occurs between 2 years 4 months and 3 years 9 months of age. Studies of wild and captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have reported precocious sensorimotor and social awareness during the first weeks of life, but no comparative MSR research has been conducted with this species. We exposed two young bottlenose dolphins to an underwater mirror and analyzed video recordings of their behavioral responses over a 3-year period. Here we report that both dolphins exhibited MSR, indicated by self-directed behavior at the mirror, at ages earlier than generally reported for children and at ages much earlier than reported for chimpanzees. The early onset of MSR in young dolphins occurs in parallel with their advanced sensorimotor development, complex and reciprocal social interactions, and growing social awareness. Both dolphins passed subsequent mark tests at ages comparable with children. Thus, our findings indicate that dolphins exhibit self-awareness at a mirror at a younger age than previously reported for children or other species tested.},
}

Animals
*Awareness
Bottle-Nosed Dolphin/*physiology

@article {pmid29337074,
year = {2018},
author = {Padget, O and Bond, SL and Kavelaars, MM and van Loon, E and Bolton, M and Fayet, AL and Syposz, M and Roberts, S and Guilford, T},
title = {In Situ Clock Shift Reveals that the Sun Compass Contributes to Orientation in a Pelagic Seabird.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {28},
number = {2},
pages = {275-279.e2},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.062},
pmid = {29337074},
issn = {1879-0445},
mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; *Circadian Clocks ; *Orientation, Spatial ; *Solar System ; *Spatial Navigation ; Taxis Response ; Wales ; },
abstract = {Compass orientation is central to the control of animal movement from the scale of local food-caching movements around a familiar area in parids [1] and corvids [2, 3] to the first autumn vector navigation of songbirds embarking on long-distance migration [4-6]. In the study of diurnal birds, where the homing pigeon, Columba livia, has been the main model, a time-compensated sun compass [7] is central to the two-step map-and-compass process of navigation from unfamiliar places, as well as guiding movement via a representation of familiar area landmarks [8-12]. However, its use by an actively navigating wild bird is yet to be shown. By phase shifting an animal's endogenous clock, known as clock-shifting [13-15], sun-compass use can be demonstrated when the animal incorrectly consults the sun's azimuthal position while homing after experimental displacement [15-17]. By applying clock-shift techniques at the nest of a wild bird during natural incubation, we show here that an oceanic navigator-the Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus-incorporates information from a time-compensated sun compass during homeward guidance to the breeding colony after displacement. Consistently with homing pigeons navigating within their familiar area [8, 9, 11, 18], we find that the effect of clock shift, while statistically robust, is partial in nature, possibly indicating the incorporation of guidance from landmarks into movement decisions.},
}

Animals
Birds/*physiology
*Circadian Clocks
*Orientation, Spatial
*Solar System
*Spatial Navigation
Taxis Response
Wales

@article {pmid29338711,
year = {2018},
author = {Shurulinkov, P and Spasov, L and Stoyanov, G and Chakarov, N},
title = {Blood parasite infections in a wild population of ravens (Corvus corax) in Bulgaria.},
journal = {Malaria journal},
volume = {17},
number = {1},
pages = {33},
pmid = {29338711},
issn = {1475-2875},
support = {PIEF-GA-2013-625883//H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Bird Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Bulgaria/epidemiology ; *Crows ; Cytochromes b/analysis ; Haemosporida/classification/*isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Protozoan Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Protozoan Proteins/analysis ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Blood parasites have been studied intensely in many families of avian hosts, but corvids, a particularly cosmopolitan family, remain underexplored. Haemosporidian parasites of the common raven (Corvus corax) have not been studied, although it is the largest, most adaptable, and widespread corvid. Genetic sequence data from parasites of ravens can enhance the understanding of speciation patterns and specificity of haemosporidian parasites in corvids, and shed light how these hosts cope with parasite pressure.

METHODS: A baited cage trap was used to catch 86 ravens and a nested PCR protocol was used to amplify a 479 bp fragment of the haemosporidian cytochrome b gene from the samples. The obtained sequences were compared with the MalAvi database of all published haemosporidian lineages and a phylogenetic tree including all detected raven parasites was constructed. An examination of blood smears was performed for assessment of infection intensity.

RESULTS: Twenty blood parasite lineages were recovered from ravens caught in a wild population in Bulgaria. The prevalence of generalist Plasmodium lineages was 49%, and the prevalence of Leucocytozoon lineages was 31%. Out of 13 detected Leucocytozoon lineages six were known from different corvids, while seven others seem to be specific to ravens. A phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that Leucocytozoon lineages of ravens and other corvids are not monophyletic, with some groups appearing closely related to parasites of other host families.

CONCLUSIONS: Several different, morphologically cryptic groups of Leucocytozoon parasites appear to infect corvids. Ravens harbour both generalist corvid Leucocytozoon as well as apparently species-specific lineages. The extraordinary breeding ecology and scavenging lifestyle possibly allow ravens to evade vectors and have relatively low blood parasite prevalence compared to other corvids.},
}

Animals
Bird Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology
Bulgaria/epidemiology
*Crows
Cytochromes b/analysis
Haemosporida/classification/*isolation & purification
Phylogeny
Protozoan Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/parasitology
Protozoan Proteins/analysis

@article {pmid29357137,
year = {1987},
author = {Webb, SL},
title = {Beech Range Extension and Vegetation History: Pollen Stratigraphy of Two Wisconsin Lakes.},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {68},
number = {6},
pages = {1993-2005},
doi = {10.2307/1939890},
pmid = {29357137},
issn = {0012-9658},
abstract = {The pollen stratigraphy of two small lakes in eastern Wisconsin (Radtke Lake, Washington county, and Gass Lake, Manitowoc County) records the Holocene (past 10 000 yr) spread of beech (Fagus grandifolia: Fagaceae). Radiocarbon dates were obtained for the oldest stratigraphic levels at which beech pollen appeared consistently in amounts > 0.5% of terrestrial pollen. A spatially continuous pattern of beech expansion from the north was ruled out, because beech trees grew in Wisconsin by 6000 BP, 2000 yr before adjacent populations were established to the north. Alternative geographic patterns of speed (from the south or east) were spatially discontinuous, requiring seed dispersal distances of perhaps 25-130 km. That beechnuts could be dispersed across such distances suggests (1) the involvement of Blue Jays, Passenger Pigeons, or other vertebrates, and (2) a capacity for reaching climatically controlled range limits, given sufficient time despite such discontinuities in habitat. A lag 1000-2000 yr between the establishment of source populations in Michigan and Indiana and the appearance of beech in Wisconsin suggests that low-probability dispersal events were involved and that dispersal constraints limited the range of beech during this time, although climatic and edaphic explanations for the lag cannot be ruled out. Pollen data from the two sites reveal other features of vegetation history in eastern Wisconsin: an open Picea-Fraxinus woodland prior to 11 000 BP; sequence of Picea, Abies, Betula, and then Pinus forests between 11 000 and 7500 BP; the establishment of a coniferous/deciduous forest ecotone ("tension zone") ° 7000 BP in this region; and the presence of Quercus-dominanted deciduous forests from 7000 BP until 110 BP (time of Euro-American settlement), a period punctuated by a gradual decrease in Ulmus populations (° 4500 and 5700 BP at the two sites) and by an increase in mesophytic tree abundance at the expense of Quercus after 3500 BP.},
}

@article {pmid29358606,
year = {2018},
author = {St Clair, JJH and Klump, BC and Sugasawa, S and Higgott, CG and Colegrave, N and Rutz, C},
title = {Hook innovation boosts foraging efficiency in tool-using crows.},
journal = {Nature ecology & evolution},
volume = {2},
number = {3},
pages = {441-444},
doi = {10.1038/s41559-017-0429-7},
pmid = {29358606},
issn = {2397-334X},
mesh = {Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Male ; *Tool Use Behavior ; },
abstract = {The New Caledonian crow is the only non-human animal known to craft hooked tools in the wild, but the ecological benefit of these relatively complex tools remains unknown. Here, we show that crows acquire food several times faster when using hooked rather than non-hooked tools, regardless of tool material, prey type and extraction context. This implies that small changes to tool shape can strongly affect energy-intake rates, highlighting a powerful driver for technological advancement.},
}

Animals
Crows/*physiology
*Feeding Behavior
Female
Male
*Tool Use Behavior

@article {pmid29360051,
year = {2018},
author = {Pluta, A and Kulesza, M and Grzegorzewski, P and Kucharska, K},
title = {Assessing advanced theory of mind and alexithymia in patients suffering from enduring borderline personality disorder.},
journal = {Psychiatry research},
volume = {261},
number = {},
pages = {436-441},
doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2018.01.003},
pmid = {29360051},
issn = {1872-7123},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Adult ; Affective Symptoms/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology ; Anxiety/diagnosis/epidemiology/psychology ; Borderline Personality Disorder/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology ; Comorbidity ; Depression/diagnosis/epidemiology/psychology ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Personality Assessment/standards ; Personality Inventory/standards ; *Theory of Mind/physiology ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {Findings on the theory of mind (ToM) abilities in borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been inconsistent. Surprisingly, no studies have focused on the complex aspects of ToM while simultaneously measuring alexithymia as well as comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, therefore, our study aimed to fill this gap. 30 female patients with BPD and 38 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Faux Pas Test (FPT) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20). The clinical and intellectual assessment comprised of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis II Disorders (SCID-II), the Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R), and the Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM). Women with BPD scored significantly worse than HCs on overall ToM abilities. After controlling for the intelligence level, depressive symptoms, and state and trait anxiety, both groups presented a similar overall level of alexithymia. No correlation between the FPT and TAS-20 scores was found, suggesting that both constructs might be unrelated in BPD. Because ToM dysfunctions seem not to result from comorbid clinical symptoms, trait anxiety, or intellectual abilities, our study results suggest that ToM deficits might be considered a core feature of BPD.},
}

Adolescent
Adult
Affective Symptoms/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology
Anxiety/diagnosis/epidemiology/psychology
Borderline Personality Disorder/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology
Comorbidity
Depression/diagnosis/epidemiology/psychology
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
*Personality Assessment/standards
Personality Inventory/standards
*Theory of Mind/physiology
Young Adult

@article {pmid29373167,
year = {2018},
author = {Claes, R and Muyshondt, PGG and Dirckx, JJJ and Aerts, P},
title = {Do high sound pressure levels of crowing in roosters necessitate passive mechanisms for protection against self-vocalization?.},
journal = {Zoology (Jena, Germany)},
volume = {126},
number = {},
pages = {65-70},
doi = {10.1016/j.zool.2017.12.002},
pmid = {29373167},
issn = {1873-2720},
mesh = {Animals ; Chickens/*physiology ; Crowding/psychology ; Ear/anatomy & histology/physiology ; Female ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Sound/adverse effects ; Vocalization, Animal/*physiology ; },
abstract = {High sound pressure levels (>120dB) cause damage or death of the hair cells of the inner ear, hence causing hearing loss. Vocalization differences are present between hens and roosters. Crowing in roosters is reported to produce sound pressure levels of 100dB measured at a distance of 1m. In this study we measured the sound pressure levels that exist at the entrance of the outer ear canal. We hypothesize that roosters may benefit from a passive protective mechanism while hens do not require such a mechanism. Audio recordings at the level of the entrance of the outer ear canal of crowing roosters, made in this study, indeed show that a protective mechanism is needed as sound pressure levels can reach amplitudes of 142.3dB. Audio recordings made at varying distances from the crowing rooster show that at a distance of 0.5m sound pressure levels already drop to 102dB. Micro-CT scans of a rooster and chicken head show that in roosters the auditory canal closes when the beak is opened. In hens the diameter of the auditory canal only narrows but does not close completely. A morphological difference between the sexes in shape of a bursa-like slit which occurs in the outer ear canal causes the outer ear canal to close in roosters but not in hens.},
}

Animals
Chickens/*physiology
Crowding/psychology
Ear/anatomy & histology/physiology
Female
Male
Sex Characteristics
Sound/adverse effects
Vocalization, Animal/*physiology

@article {pmid29375193,
year = {2018},
author = {Maziarz, M and Piggott, C and Burgess, M},
title = {Predator recognition and differential behavioural responses of adult wood warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix.},
journal = {Acta ethologica},
volume = {21},
number = {1},
pages = {13-20},
pmid = {29375193},
issn = {0873-9749},
abstract = {Birds often engage in nest defence against predators to improve breeding success, but defence efficiency requires the capability to assess the threat level posed by potential predators. For species with low breeding-site tenacity, which may encounter varying occurrence and density of predators in different areas, threat recognition could be compromised due to naivety, and so predator recognition may focus on broad key features to diminish the risk of misidentification. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by recording behavioural reactions of the nomadic wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix to objects reflecting various levels of threat: least weasel and Eurasian jay taxidermy mounts, an inanimate object and an empty display mount. To assess actual nest predators, we used remote cameras to record predation events at wood warbler nests. As in other studies in Western Europe, Eurasian jay was found to be the main nest predator, with occasional predation by least weasel. The reaction of adult warblers to the models was generally to remain silent and on nests during the incubation stage presumably due to the need to maintain efficient nest camouflage and concealment. During the nestling stage, behavioural responses of adult warblers, calling and suspended feeding of young, showed the strongest effects from the jay taxidermy mount, moderate to the weasel and weakest to the inanimate object and empty mount. As the reaction of wood warblers reflected the degree of genuine threat posed by the predators depicted by the models, we conclude that predator recognition may be present in this species.},
}

@article {pmid29386519,
year = {2018},
author = {Stanford, R and Lockley, MG and Tucker, C and Godfrey, S and Stanford, SM},
title = {A diverse mammal-dominated, footprint assemblage from wetland deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of Maryland.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {741},
pmid = {29386519},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; Fossils ; Geography ; Geologic Sediments ; *Mammals ; Maryland ; Paleontology ; *Wetlands ; },
abstract = {A newly discovered assemblage of predominantly small tracks from the Cretaceous Patuxent Formation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, reveals one of the highest track densities and diversities ever reported (~70 tracks, representing at least eight morphotypes from an area of only ~2 m[2]). The assemblage is dominated by small mammal tracks including the new ichnotxon Sederipes goddardensis, indicating sitting postures. Small crow-sized theropod trackways, the first from this unit, indicate social trackmakers and suggest slow-paced foraging behavior. Tracks of pterosaurs, and other small vertebrates suggest activity on an organic-rich substrate. Large well-preserved sauropod and nodosaurs tracks indicate the presence of large dinosaurs. The Patuxent Formation together with the recently reported Angolan assemblage comprise the world's two largest Mesozoic mammal footprint assemblages. The high density of footprint registration at the NASA site indicates special preservational and taphonomic conditions. These include early, penecontemporaneous deposition of siderite in organic rich, reducing wetland settings where even the flesh of body fossils can be mummified. Thus, the track-rich ironstone substrates of the Patuxent Formation, appear to preserve a unique vertebrate ichnofacies, with associated, exceptionally-preserved body fossil remains for which there are currently no other similar examples preserved in the fossil record.},
}

Animals
Fossils
Geography
Geologic Sediments
*Mammals
Maryland
Paleontology
*Wetlands

@article {pmid29414945,
year = {2018},
author = {Ashton, BJ and Ridley, AR and Edwards, EK and Thornton, A},
title = {Cognitive performance is linked to group size and affects fitness in Australian magpies.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {554},
number = {7692},
pages = {364-367},
pmid = {29414945},
issn = {1476-4687},
support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Animals, Wild/physiology ; Australia ; *Biological Evolution ; Cognition/*physiology ; Female ; *Genetic Fitness ; Intelligence/physiology ; Male ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Population Density ; Reproduction/physiology ; *Social Behavior ; },
abstract = {The social intelligence hypothesis states that the demands of social life drive cognitive evolution. This idea receives support from comparative studies that link variation in group size or mating systems with cognitive and neuroanatomical differences across species, but findings are contradictory and contentious. To understand the cognitive consequences of sociality, it is also important to investigate social variation within species. Here we show that in wild, cooperatively breeding Australian magpies, individuals that live in large groups show increased cognitive performance, which is linked to increased reproductive success. Individual performance was highly correlated across four cognitive tasks, indicating a 'general intelligence factor' that underlies cognitive performance. Repeated cognitive testing of juveniles at different ages showed that the correlation between group size and cognition emerged in early life, suggesting that living in larger groups promotes cognitive development. Furthermore, we found a positive association between the task performance of females and three indicators of reproductive success, thus identifying a selective benefit of greater cognitive performance. Together, these results provide intraspecific evidence that sociality can shape cognitive development and evolution.},
}

Animals
Animals, Wild/physiology
Australia
*Biological Evolution
Cognition/*physiology
Female
*Genetic Fitness
Intelligence/physiology
Male
Passeriformes/*physiology
Population Density
Reproduction/physiology
*Social Behavior

@article {pmid29454255,
year = {2018},
author = {Jóźwiak, S and Veggiotti, P and Moreira, J and Gama, H and Rocha, F and Soares-da-Silva, P},
title = {Effects of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate on neurocognitive functioning in children with refractory focal-onset seizures.},
journal = {Epilepsy & behavior : E&B},
volume = {81},
number = {},
pages = {1-11},
doi = {10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.01.029},
pmid = {29454255},
issn = {1525-5069},
mesh = {Adolescent ; Anticonvulsants/*therapeutic use ; Attention/physiology ; Child ; Cognition/physiology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dibenzazepines/*therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Epilepsy/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Memory/physiology ; Quality of Life ; Seizures/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: This was a phase-II, randomized, double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled study aimed to evaluate neurocognitive effects of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) as adjunctive therapy in pediatric patients with refractory focal-onset seizures (FOS).

METHODS: Children (6-16years old) with FOS were randomized (2:1) to ESL or placebo. Treatment started at 10mg/kg/day, was up-titrated up to 30mg/kg/day (target dose), and maintained for 8weeks, followed by one-year open-label follow-up. The primary endpoint was change from baseline to the end of maintenance period in the composite Power of Attention assessed with the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) system. Behavioral and emotional functioning and quality of life (QOL), secondary endpoints, were assessed with Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). Efficacy was evaluated through changes in standardized seizure frequency (SF), responder rate, and proportion of seizure-free patients. Safety was evaluated by the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-three patients were randomized. A noninferiority analysis failed to reject the null hypothesis that the change from baseline in the Power of Attention score in the ESL group was at least 121ms inferior to the placebo group for all age groups. The CDR scores showed no differences between placebo and ESL in Power of Attention (1868.0 vs 1759.5), Continuity of Attention (1.136 vs -1.786), Quality of Working Memory (-0.023 vs -0.024), and Speed of Memory (-263.4 vs -249.6). Nonsignificant differences between placebo and ESL were seen for CHQ-PF50, CBCL scores, and Raven's SPM. Episodic Memory Index showed significant negative effect on ESL. Efficacy results favored the ESL group (SF least square [LS] means 1.98 vs 4.29). The TEAEs had a similar incidence between treatment groups (41.0% vs 47.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: Overall ESL did not produce statistically significant effects on neurocognitive and behavioral functioning in patients with epilepsy aged 6 to 16years. Additionally, ESL was effective in reducing seizure frequency and was well-tolerated.},
}

Adolescent
Anticonvulsants/*therapeutic use
Attention/physiology
Child
Cognition/physiology
Combined Modality Therapy
Dibenzazepines/*therapeutic use
Double-Blind Method
Epilepsy/*drug therapy/physiopathology
Female
Humans
Male
Memory/physiology
Quality of Life
Seizures/*drug therapy/physiopathology
Treatment Outcome

@article {pmid29491247,
year = {2018},
author = {Okamura, M and Kaneko, M and Ojima, S and Sano, H and Shindo, J and Shirafuji, H and Yamamoto, S and Tanabe, T and Yoshikawa, Y and Hu, DL},
title = {Differential Distribution of Salmonella Serovars and Campylobacter spp. Isolates in Free-Living Crows and Broiler Chickens in Aomori, Japan.},
journal = {Microbes and environments},
volume = {33},
number = {1},
pages = {77-82},
pmid = {29491247},
issn = {1347-4405},
mesh = {Animals ; Campylobacter/classification/*isolation & purification ; Campylobacter Infections/epidemiology/veterinary ; Chickens/*microbiology ; Crows/*microbiology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Genotype ; Japan/epidemiology ; Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Poultry/microbiology ; Prevalence ; Salmonella/classification/*isolation & purification ; Salmonella Infections, Animal/epidemiology ; Serogroup ; },
abstract = {Salmonella and Campylobacter cause foodborne enteritis mainly via the consumption of raw/undercooked contaminated poultry meat and products. Broiler flocks are primarily colonized with these bacteria; however, the underlying etiology remains unclear. The present study was conducted in order to obtain further information on the prevalence and genotypic distribution of Salmonella and Campylobacter in free-living crows and broiler flocks in a region for 2 years, thereby facilitating estimations of the potential risk of transmission of C. jejuni from crows to broiler flocks. Salmonella serovars Bredeney and Derby were isolated from 8 and 3 out of 123 captured crows, respectively, both of which are not common in broiler chickens. Campylobacter were isolated from all 89 crows tested and C. jejuni was prevalent (85 crows). Pulsed field gel electrophoresis showed broad diversity in the crow isolates of C. jejuni. However, 3 crow isolates and 2 broiler isolates showing similar banding patterns were assigned to different sequence types in multi-locus sequence typing. These results indicate that crows do not share Salmonella serovars with broilers, and harbor various genotypes of C. jejuni that differ from those of broiler flocks. Thus, our results indicate that crows are not a potential vector of these bacteria to broiler flocks in this region.},
}

Animals
Campylobacter/classification/*isolation & purification
Campylobacter Infections/epidemiology/veterinary
Chickens/*microbiology
Crows/*microbiology
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Genotype
Japan/epidemiology
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Poultry/microbiology
Prevalence
Salmonella/classification/*isolation & purification
Salmonella Infections, Animal/epidemiology
Serogroup

@article {pmid29491479,
year = {2018},
author = {Bose, A and Dürr, T and Klenke, RA and Henle, K},
title = {Collision sensitive niche profile of the worst affected bird-groups at wind turbine structures in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {3777},
pmid = {29491479},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; *Ecosystem ; Flight, Animal/*physiology ; Germany ; *Power Plants ; Renewable Energy/*adverse effects ; Risk Assessment ; },
abstract = {Biodiversity-related impacts at wind energy facilities have increasingly become a cause of conservation concern, central issue being the collision of birds. Utilizing spatial information of their carcass detections at wind turbines (WTs), we quantified the detections in relation to the metric distances of the respective turbines to different land-use types. We used ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) to identify combinations of land-use distances with respect to the spatial allocation of WTs that led to higher proportions of collisions among the worst affected bird-groups: Buntings, Crows, Larks, Pigeons and Raptors. We also assessed their respective similarities to the collision phenomenon by checking for overlaps amongst their distance combinations. Crows and Larks showed the narrowest "collision sensitive niche"; a part of ecological niche under higher risk of collisions with turbines, followed by that of Buntings and Pigeons. Raptors had the broadest niche showing significant overlaps with the collision sensitive niches of the other groups. This can probably be attributed to their larger home range combined with their hunting affinities to open landscapes. Identification of collision sensitive niches could be a powerful tool for landscape planning; helping avoid regions with higher risks of collisions for turbine allocations and thus protecting sensitive bird populations.},
}

Animal Distribution
Animals
Birds/*physiology
Conservation of Natural Resources
*Ecosystem
Flight, Animal/*physiology
Germany
*Power Plants
Renewable Energy/*adverse effects
Risk Assessment

@article {pmid29491922,
year = {2016},
author = {Loretto, MC and Schuster, R and Bugnyar, T},
title = {GPS tracking of non-breeding ravens reveals the importance of anthropogenic food sources during their dispersal in the Eastern Alps.},
journal = {Current zoology},
volume = {62},
number = {4},
pages = {337-344},
pmid = {29491922},
issn = {1674-5507},
abstract = {In many songbirds, the space use of breeders is well studied but poorly understood for non-breeders. In common ravens, some studies of non-breeders indicate high vagrancy with large individual differences in home range size, whereas others show that up to 40% of marked non-breeders can be regularly observed at the same anthropogenic food source over months to years. The aim of this study was to provide new insights on ravens' behavior during dispersal in the Eastern Alps. We deployed Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers on 10 individuals to gather accurate spatial and temporal information on their movements to quantify: 1) the dimension of the birds' space use (home range size with seasonal effects and daily/long-term travel distances), 2) how long they stayed in a dispersal stage of wandering as opposed to settling temporarily, and 3) their destination of movements. We recorded movements of up to 40 km per hour, more than 160 km within 1 day and more than 11,000 km within 20 months, indicating high vagrancy. Switching frequently between temporarily settling and travelling large distances in short time intervals leads to extensive home ranges, which also explains and combines the different findings in the literature. The destinations are rich anthropogenic food sources, where the birds spent on average 75% of their time. We discuss how ravens may find these "feeding hot spots" and which factors may influence their decision to stay/leave a site. The strong dependence on anthropogenic resources found in this population may have implications for site management and conservation issues.},
}

@article {pmid29491924,
year = {2016},
author = {Skórka, P and Sierpowska, K and Haidt, A and Myczko, Ł and Ekner-Grzyb, A and Rosin, ZM and Kwieciński, Z and Suchodolska, J and Takacs, V and Jankowiak, Ł and Wasielewski, O and Graclik, A and Krawczyk, AJ and Kasprzak, A and Szwajkowski, P and Wylegała, P and Malecha, AW and Mizera, T and Tryjanowski, P},
title = {Habitat preferences of two sparrow species are modified by abundances of other birds in an urban environment.},
journal = {Current zoology},
volume = {62},
number = {4},
pages = {357-368},
pmid = {29491924},
issn = {1674-5507},
abstract = {Every species has certain habitat requirements, which may be altered by interactions with other co-occurring species. These interactions are mostly ignored in predictive models trying to identify key habitat variables correlated with species population abundance/occurrence. We investigated how the structure of the urban landscape, food resources, potential competitors, predators, and interaction between these factors influence the abundance of house sparrow Passer domesticus and the tree sparrow P. montanus in sixty 25 ha plots distributed randomly across residential areas of the city of Poznań (Poland). The abundance of the house sparrow was positively correlated with the abundance of pigeons but negatively correlated with human-related food resources. There were significant interaction terms between abundances of other urban species and habitat variables in statistical models. For example, the abundance of house sparrow was negatively correlated with the abundance of corvids and tree sparrows but only when food resources were low. The abundance of tree sparrows positively correlated with density of streets and the distance from the city center. The abundance of this species positively correlated with the abundance of corvids when food resources were low but negatively correlated at low covers of green area. Our study indicates that associations between food resources, habitat covers, and the relative abundance of two sparrow species are altered by the abundance of other urban species. Competition, niche separation and social facilitation may be responsible for these interactive effects. Thus, biotic interactions should be included not only as an additive effect but also as an interaction term between abundance and habitat variables in statistical models predicting species abundance and occurrence.},
}

@article {pmid29491996,
year = {2017},
author = {Pesendorfer, MB and Sillett, TS and Morrison, SA},
title = {Spatially biased dispersal of acorns by a scatter-hoarding corvid may accelerate passive restoration of oak habitat on California's largest island.},
journal = {Current zoology},
volume = {63},
number = {4},
pages = {363-367},
pmid = {29491996},
issn = {1674-5507},
abstract = {Scatter hoarding by corvids (crows, jays, magpies, and nutcrackers) provides seed dispersal for many large-seeded plants, including oaks and pines. When hoarding seeds, corvids often choose nonrandom locations throughout the landscape, resulting in differential survival of seeds. In the context of habitat restoration, such disproportional storing of seeds in areas suitable for germination and establishment can accelerate expansion and recovery of large-seeded tree populations and their associated ecosystems. Here, we investigate the spatial preferences of island scrub jays Aphelocoma insularis during scatter hoarding of acorns (Quercus spp.) on Santa Cruz Island. We use a large behavioral data set on the birds' behavior in combination with seedling surveys and spatial analysis to determine whether 1) island scrub jays disproportionally cache seeds in specific habitat types, and 2) whether the preferred habitat type is suitable for oak regeneration. Our results show that the jays nonrandomly cache acorns across the landscape; they use chaparral and coastal sage scrub disproportionally while avoiding open and grassy areas. The areas used most often for caching were also the areas with the highest oak seedling densities. We discuss the potential role of these findings for the recovery of Santa Cruz Island's oak habitat since the 1980s.},
}

@article {pmid29491998,
year = {2017},
author = {Boucherie, PH and Sosa, S and Pasquaretta, C and Dufour, V},
title = {A longitudinal network analysis of social dynamics in rooks corvus frugilegus: repeated group modifications do not affect social network in captive rooks.},
journal = {Current zoology},
volume = {63},
number = {4},
pages = {379-388},
pmid = {29491998},
issn = {1674-5507},
abstract = {Numerous studies have investigated the remarkable variation of social features and the resulting structures across species. Indeed, relationships are dynamic and vary in time according to various factors such as environmental conditions or individuals attributes. However, few studies have investigated the processes that stabilize the structures within a given species, and the behavioral mechanisms that ensure their coherence and continuity across time. Here, we used a dynamic actor-based model, RSiena, to investigate the consistency of the temporal dynamic of relationships of a group of captive rooks facing recurrent modifications in group composition (i.e., the loss and introduction of individuals). We found that changes in relationships (i.e., formation and removal) followed consistent patterns regardless of group composition and sex-ratio. Rooks preferentially interacted with paired congeners (i.e., unpopular attachment) and were more likely to form relationships with individuals bonded to a current social partner (i.e., "friends of friends", or triadic closure). The sex of individuals had no effect on the dynamic of relationships. This robust behavioral mechanisms formed the basis of inter-connected networks, composed of sub-structures of individuals emerging from the enmeshment of dyadic and triadic motifs. Overall, the present study reveals crucial aspects of the behavioral mechanisms shaping rooks social structure, suggesting that rooks live in a well-integrated society, going far beyond the unique monogamous pair-bond.},
}

@article {pmid29499250,
year = {2018},
author = {Luo, Y and Zhang, L and Teng, Z and DeAngelis, DL},
title = {A parasitism-mutualism-predation model consisting of crows, cuckoos and cats with stage-structure and maturation delays on crows and cuckoos.},
journal = {Journal of theoretical biology},
volume = {446},
number = {},
pages = {212-228},
doi = {10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.02.028},
pmid = {29499250},
issn = {1095-8541},
mesh = {Animals ; Cats/*physiology ; Crows/*physiology ; *Models, Biological ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Predatory Behavior/*physiology ; *Symbiosis ; },
abstract = {In this paper, a parasitism-mutualism-predation model is proposed to investigate the dynamics of multi-interactions among cuckoos, crows and cats with stage-structure and maturation time delays on cuckoos and crows. The crows permit the cuckoos to parasitize their nestlings (eggs) on the crow chicks (eggs). In return, the cuckoo nestlings produce a malodorous cloacal secretion to protect the crow chicks from predation by the cats, which is apparently beneficial to both the crow and cuckoo population. The multi-interactions, i.e., parasitism and mutualism between the cuckoos (nestlings) and crows (chicks), predation between the cats and crow chicks are modeled both by Holling-type II and Beddington-DeAngelis-type functional responses. The existence of positive equilibria of three subsystems of the model are discussed. The criteria for the global stability of the trivial equilibrium are established by the Krein-Rutman theorem and other analysis methods. Moreover, the threshold dynamics for the coexistence and weak persistence of the model are obtained, and we show, both analytically and numerically, that the stabilities of the interior equilibria may change with the increasing maturation time delays. We find there exists an evident difference in the dynamical properties of the parasitism-mutualism-predation model based on whether or not we consider the effects of stage-structure and maturation time delays on cuckoos and crows. Inclusion of stage structure results in many varied dynamical complexities which are difficult to encompass without this inclusion.},
}

Animals
Cats/*physiology
Crows/*physiology
*Models, Biological
Passeriformes/*physiology
Predatory Behavior/*physiology
*Symbiosis

@article {pmid29500409,
year = {2018},
author = {Kearns, AM and Restani, M and Szabo, I and Schrøder-Nielsen, A and Kim, JA and Richardson, HM and Marzluff, JM and Fleischer, RC and Johnsen, A and Omland, KE},
title = {Genomic evidence of speciation reversal in ravens.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {9},
number = {1},
pages = {906},
pmid = {29500409},
issn = {2041-1723},
mesh = {Animals ; Breeding ; Crows/*genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; Gene Flow ; *Genetic Speciation ; *Genome ; *Genomics ; Geography ; Hybridization, Genetic ; Introns/genetics ; Mosaicism ; *Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Reproductive Isolation ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; },
abstract = {Many species, including humans, have emerged via complex reticulate processes involving hybridisation. Under certain circumstances, hybridisation can cause distinct lineages to collapse into a single lineage with an admixed mosaic genome. Most known cases of such 'speciation reversal' or 'lineage fusion' involve recently diverged lineages and anthropogenic perturbation. Here, we show that in western North America, Common Ravens (Corvus corax) have admixed mosaic genomes formed by the fusion of non-sister lineages ('California' and 'Holarctic') that diverged ~1.5 million years ago. Phylogenomic analyses and concordant patterns of geographic structuring in mtDNA, genome-wide SNPs and nuclear introns demonstrate long-term admixture and random interbreeding between the non-sister lineages. In contrast, our genomic data support reproductive isolation between Common Ravens and Chihuahuan Ravens (C. cryptoleucus) despite extensive geographic overlap and a sister relationship between Chihuahuan Ravens and the California lineage. These data suggest that the Common Raven genome was formed by secondary lineage fusion and most likely represents a case of ancient speciation reversal that occurred without anthropogenic causes.},
}

Animals
Breeding
Crows/*genetics
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
Gene Flow
*Genetic Speciation
*Genome
*Genomics
Geography
Hybridization, Genetic
Introns/genetics
Mosaicism
*Phylogeny
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Reproductive Isolation
Sequence Analysis, DNA

@article {pmid29515467,
year = {2018},
author = {Kurachi, M and Takahashi, T and Sumiyoshi, T and Uehara, T and Suzuki, M},
title = {Early Intervention and a Direction of Novel Therapeutics for the Improvement of Functional Outcomes in Schizophrenia: A Selective Review.},
journal = {Frontiers in psychiatry},
volume = {9},
number = {},
pages = {39},
pmid = {29515467},
issn = {1664-0640},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: A recent review reported that the median proportion of patients recovering from schizophrenia was 13.5% and that this did not change over time. Various factors including the duration of untreated psychosis, cognitive impairment, negative symptoms, and morphological changes in the brain influence the functional outcome of schizophrenia. The authors herein reviewed morphological changes in the brain of schizophrenia patients, effects of early intervention, and a direction of developing novel therapeutics to achieve significant improvement of the functional outcome.

METHODS: A selective review of the literature including studies from our department was performed.

RESULTS: Longitudinal structural neuroimaging studies on schizophrenia revealed that volume reductions in the peri-Sylvian regions (e.g., superior temporal gyrus and insula), which are related to positive psychotic symptoms, progress around the onset (critical stage) of schizophrenia, but become stable in the chronic stage. On the other hand, morphological changes in the fronto-thalamic regions and lateral ventricle, which are related to negative symptoms, neurocognitive dysfunction, and the functional outcome, progress during both the critical and chronic stages. These changes in the peri-Sylvian and fronto-thalamic regions may provide a pathophysiological basis for Crow's two-syndrome classification. Accumulated evidence from early intervention trials suggests that the transition risk from an at-risk mental state (ARMS) to psychosis is approximately 30%. Differences in the cognitive performance, event-related potentials (e.g., mismatch negativity), and brain morphology have been reported between ARMS subjects who later developed psychosis and those who did not. Whether early intervention for ARMS significantly improves the long-term recovery rate of schizophrenia patients remains unknown. With respect to the development of novel therapeutics, animal models of schizophrenia based on the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunction hypothesis successfully mimicked behavioral changes associated with cognitive impairments characteristic of the disease. Furthermore, these animal models elicited histological changes in the brain similar to those observed in schizophrenia patients, i.e., decreased numbers of parvalbumin-positive interneurons and dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons in the frontal cortex. Some antioxidant compounds were found to ameliorate these behavioral and histological abnormalities.

CONCLUSION: Early intervention coupled with novel therapeutics may offer a promising approach for substantial improvement of the functional outcome of schizophrenia patients.},
}

@article {pmid29532403,
year = {2018},
author = {von Davier, M},
title = {Automated Item Generation with Recurrent Neural Networks.},
journal = {Psychometrika},
volume = {83},
number = {4},
pages = {847-857},
pmid = {29532403},
issn = {1860-0980},
mesh = {Automation ; Humans ; Language ; *Machine Learning ; Models, Theoretical ; *Neural Networks, Computer ; Personality ; Personality Tests ; Psychometrics/methods ; },
abstract = {Utilizing technology for automated item generation is not a new idea. However, test items used in commercial testing programs or in research are still predominantly written by humans, in most cases by content experts or professional item writers. Human experts are a limited resource and testing agencies incur high costs in the process of continuous renewal of item banks to sustain testing programs. Using algorithms instead holds the promise of providing unlimited resources for this crucial part of assessment development. The approach presented here deviates in several ways from previous attempts to solve this problem. In the past, automatic item generation relied either on generating clones of narrowly defined item types such as those found in language free intelligence tests (e.g., Raven's progressive matrices) or on an extensive analysis of task components and derivation of schemata to produce items with pre-specified variability that are hoped to have predictable levels of difficulty. It is somewhat unlikely that researchers utilizing these previous approaches would look at the proposed approach with favor; however, recent applications of machine learning show success in solving tasks that seemed impossible for machines not too long ago. The proposed approach uses deep learning to implement probabilistic language models, not unlike what Google brain and Amazon Alexa use for language processing and generation.},
}

Automation
Humans
Language
*Machine Learning
Models, Theoretical
*Neural Networks, Computer
Personality
Personality Tests
Psychometrics/methods

@article {pmid29551415,
year = {2018},
author = {Wagener, L and Loconsole, M and Ditz, HM and Nieder, A},
title = {Neurons in the Endbrain of Numerically Naive Crows Spontaneously Encode Visual Numerosity.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {28},
number = {7},
pages = {1090-1094.e4},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.02.023},
pmid = {29551415},
issn = {1879-0445},
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Cognition/*physiology ; Crows ; Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology ; *Mathematical Concepts ; Neurons/*physiology ; Telencephalon/*physiology ; Visual Perception/*physiology ; },
abstract = {Endowed with an elaborate cerebral cortex, humans and other primates can assess the number of items in a set, or numerosity, from birth on [1] and without being trained [2]. Whether spontaneous numerosity extraction is a unique feat of the mammalian cerebral cortex [3-7] or rather an adaptive property that can be found in differently designed and independently evolved neural substrates, such as the avian enbrain [8], is unknown. To address this question, we recorded single-cell activity from the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a high-level avian association brain area [9-11], of numerically naive crows. We found that a proportion of NCL neurons were spontaneously responsive to numerosity and tuned to the number of items, even though the crows were never trained to assess numerical quantity. Our data show that numerosity-selective neuronal responses are spontaneously present in the distinct endbrains of diverge vertebrate taxa. This seemingly hard-wired property of the avian endbrain to extract numerical quantity explains how birds in the wild, or right after hatching, can exploit numerical cues when making foraging or social decisions. It suggests that endbrain circuitries that evolved based on convergent evolution, such as the avian endbrain, give rise to the same numerosity code.},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
Cognition/*physiology
Crows
Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology
*Mathematical Concepts
Neurons/*physiology
Telencephalon/*physiology
Visual Perception/*physiology

@article {pmid29552564,
year = {2018},
author = {Carrasco-Garcia, R and Barroso, P and Perez-Olivares, J and Montoro, V and Vicente, J},
title = {Consumption of Big Game Remains by Scavengers: A Potential Risk as Regards Disease Transmission in Central Spain.},
journal = {Frontiers in veterinary science},
volume = {5},
number = {},
pages = {4},
pmid = {29552564},
issn = {2297-1769},
abstract = {Understanding the role that facultative scavenger species may play in spreading infectious pathogens, and even becoming reservoirs for humans, domestic and wild ungulates or, on the contrary, preventing the spread of disease, requires a prior understanding of the pattern of carrion scavenging in specific scenarios. The objectives of this paper are (i) to describe the guild of vertebrate scavengers and (ii) to study the species-specific, habitat, and management-related factors involved in the usage of gut piles in South Central Spain (SCS), a tuberculosis (TB) endemic area. We used camera trapping at 18 hunting piles on seven hunting estates. A total of eight bird and five mammal taxa were detected at the remains of hunting piles. The most frequently detected species in terms of number of gut piles visited (78%) and scavenged (61%) was the red fox Vulpes vulpes, followed by the griffon vulture Gyps fulvus (56% as regards both presence and scavenging) and the raven Corvus corax (61 and 39% as regards presence and scavenging, respectively). We evidenced that griffon vultures accounted for most of the scavenging activity in open habitats, while facultative mammal scavengers, red fox, and wild boar Sus scrofa made the highest contribution to scavenging in vegetation-covered habitats. In the case of wild boar, the gut piles deposited during the evening and night favored higher rates of scavenging, while the opposite pattern was observed for griffons. Overall, our findings suggest that when disposing of hunting remains in areas of risk as regards disease transmission it is particularly important to consider the access that facultative mammals, and especially wild boar, have to material, while the presence of the resource needs to be safeguarded to protect specialist scavengers of conservation value. These results are of particular relevance in the case of wild boar in the current context of re-emerging TB and emerging African swine fever (ASF) in Europe.},
}

@article {pmid29563949,
year = {2018},
author = {Boeckle, M and Szipl, G and Bugnyar, T},
title = {Raven food calls indicate sender's age and sex.},
journal = {Frontiers in zoology},
volume = {15},
number = {},
pages = {5},
pmid = {29563949},
issn = {1742-9994},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Acoustic parameters of animal signals have been shown to correlate with various phenotypic characteristics of the sender. These acoustic characteristics can be learned and categorized and thus are a basis for perceivers' recognition abilities. One of the most demanding capacities is individual recognition, achievable only after repeated interactions with the same individual. Still, class-level recognition might be potentially important to perceivers who have not previously encountered callers but can classify unknown individuals according to the already learned categories. Especially for species with high fission-fusion dynamics that repeatedly encounter unknown individuals it may be advantageous to develop class-level recognition. We tested whether frequency-, temporal-, and amplitude-related acoustic parameters of vocalizations emitted by ravens, a species showing high fission-fusion dynamics in non-breeder aggregations, are connected to phenotypic characteristics and thus have the potential for class-level recognition.

RESULTS: The analysis of 418 food calls revealed that some components summarizing acoustic parameters were differentiated by age-classes and sex.

CONCLUSIONS: Together, the results provide evidence for the co-variation of vocal characteristics and respective sex and age categories, a prerequisite for class-level recognition in perceivers. Perceivers that are ignorant of the caller's identity can thus potentially recognize these class-level differences for decision-making processes in feeding contexts.},
}

@article {pmid29576946,
year = {2018},
author = {Brecht, KF and Ostojić, L and Legg, EW and Clayton, NS},
title = {Difficulties when using video playback to investigate social cognition in California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica).},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {6},
number = {},
pages = {e4451},
pmid = {29576946},
issn = {2167-8359},
abstract = {Previous research has suggested that videos can be used to experimentally manipulate social stimuli. In the present study, we used the California scrub-jays' cache protection strategies to assess whether video playback can be used to simulate conspecifics in a social context. In both the lab and the field, scrub-jays are known to exhibit a range of behaviours to protect their caches from potential pilferage by a conspecific, for example by hiding food in locations out of the observer's view or by re-caching previously made caches once the observer has left. Here, we presented scrub-jays with videos of a conspecific observer as well as two non-social conditions during a caching period and assessed whether they would cache out of the observer's "view" (Experiment 1) or would re-cache their caches once the observer was no longer present (Experiment 2). In contrast to previous studies using live observers, the scrub-jays' caching and re-caching behaviour was not influenced by whether the observer was present or absent. These findings suggest that there might be limitations in using video playback of social agents to mimic real-life situations when investigating corvid decision making.},
}

@article {pmid29620040,
year = {2019},
author = {Kamat, A and Quadros, T},
title = {An observational study on glabellar wrinkle patterns in Indians.},
journal = {Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology},
volume = {85},
number = {2},
pages = {182-189},
doi = {10.4103/ijdvl.IJDVL_211_17},
pmid = {29620040},
issn = {0973-3922},
mesh = {Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*supply & distribution ; Cohort Studies ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Esthetics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forehead ; Humans ; India ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Skin Aging/*drug effects/*ethnology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Botulinum A exotoxin is an established treatment for glabellar frown lines, crow's feet, and horizontal furrows of the forehead. The glabella is probably the most common site for botulinum toxin treatment in Asians. Five glabellar contraction patterns have been classified in earlier studies based on eyebrow approximation, depression, and elevation. Unfortunately, this was found to be confusing by many practitioners. Indians, as all Asians, have smaller muscles compared to the European population, and there is no consensus on the optimal dosage per injection site or concentration of toxin to be used.

AIMS: (a) Identification and classification of glabellar wrinkle patterns in Indians. (b) Optimization of the minimal effective dose of toxin per site.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective photographic analysis of 200 patients who received botulinum toxin for the first time to treat glabellar wrinkles was conducted. The wrinkle patterns were identified and classified by the authors based on the prevalence of perpendicular and transverse glabellar lines, nasal, and forehead wrinkles.

RESULTS: Six patterns were identified: (1) 11 (2) U (3) Pi (4) X (5) W (6) I. The relevant muscles were identified and doses optimized for those sites.

LIMITATIONS: The doses mentioned in this study are not universal for all patients and toxin units would have to be altered and individualized according to the bulk of the facial muscles and individual needs.

CONCLUSION: The investigators classification, injection patterns, and dosage may provide valuable guidance to facial esthetic treatment.},
}

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Botulinum Toxins, Type A/*supply & distribution
Cohort Studies
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Administration Schedule
Esthetics
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Forehead
Humans
India
Injections, Subcutaneous
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Skin Aging/*drug effects/*ethnology
Treatment Outcome
Young Adult

@article {pmid29620454,
year = {2018},
author = {Scott, AB and Phalen, D and Hernandez-Jover, M and Singh, M and Groves, P and Toribio, JLML},
title = {Wildlife Presence and Interactions with Chickens on Australian Commercial Chicken Farms Assessed by Camera Traps.},
journal = {Avian diseases},
volume = {62},
number = {1},
pages = {65-72},
doi = {10.1637/11761-101917-Reg.1},
pmid = {29620454},
issn = {1938-4351},
mesh = {*Animal Distribution ; Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Animals, Wild/*physiology ; Birds ; Chickens/*physiology ; New South Wales ; Photography/*veterinary ; Queensland ; },
abstract = {The types of wildlife and the frequency of their visits to commercial chicken farms in Australia were assessed using infrared and motion-sensing camera traps. Cameras were set up on 14 free-range layer farms, three cage layer farms, two barn layer farms, five non-free-range meat chicken farms, and six free-range meat chicken farms in the Sydney basin region and South East Queensland. Wildlife visits were found on every farm type and were most frequent on cage layer farms (73%), followed by free-range layer farms (15%). The common mynah (Acridotheres tristis) was the most frequent wildlife visitor in the study (23.9%), followed by corvids (22.9%) and Columbiformes (7.5%). Most wildlife visits occurred during the day from 6 am to 6 pm (85%). There were infrequent observations of direct contact between chickens and wildlife, suggesting the indirect route of pathogen transfer may be more significant. The level of biosecurity on the farm is suggested to impact the frequency of wildlife visits more so than the farm type.},
}

*Animal Distribution
Animal Husbandry
Animals
Animals, Wild/*physiology
Birds
Chickens/*physiology
New South Wales
Photography/*veterinary
Queensland

@article {pmid29643220,
year = {2018},
author = {Duque, JF and Leichner, W and Ahmann, H and Stevens, JR},
title = {Mesotocin influences pinyon jay prosociality.},
journal = {Biology letters},
volume = {14},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {29643220},
issn = {1744-957X},
mesh = {Altruism ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Oxytocin/*analogs & derivatives/metabolism ; Passeriformes/*physiology ; Social Behavior ; },
abstract = {Many species exhibit prosocial behaviour, in which one individual's actions benefit another individual, often without an immediate benefit to itself. The neuropeptide oxytocin is an important hormonal mechanism influencing prosociality in mammals, but it is unclear whether the avian homologue mesotocin plays a similar functional role in birds. Here, we experimentally tested prosociality in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a highly social corvid species that spontaneously shares food with others. First, we measured prosocial preferences in a prosocial choice task with two different pay-off distributions: Prosocial trials delivered food to both the subject and either an empty cage or a partner bird, whereas Altruism trials delivered food only to an empty cage or a partner bird (none to subject). In a second experiment, we examined whether administering mesotocin influenced prosocial preferences. Compared to choices in a control condition, we show that subjects voluntarily delivered food rewards to partners, but only when also receiving food for themselves (Prosocial trials), and administration of high levels of mesotocin increased these behaviours. Thus, in birds, mesotocin seems to play a similar functional role in facilitating prosocial behaviours as oxytocin does in mammals, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved hormonal mechanism for prosociality.},
}

Altruism
Animals
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
Oxytocin/*analogs & derivatives/metabolism
Passeriformes/*physiology
Social Behavior

@article {pmid29649503,
year = {2018},
author = {Brem, AK and Almquist, JN and Mansfield, K and Plessow, F and Sella, F and Santarnecchi, E and Orhan, U and McKanna, J and Pavel, M and Mathan, S and Yeung, N and Pascual-Leone, A and Kadosh, RC and , },
title = {Modulating fluid intelligence performance through combined cognitive training and brain stimulation.},
journal = {Neuropsychologia},
volume = {118},
number = {Pt A},
pages = {107-114},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.008},
pmid = {29649503},
issn = {1873-3514},
mesh = {Brain/*physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/*methods ; Electric Stimulation/*methods ; Executive Function/physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intelligence/*physiology ; Male ; Negotiating ; Regression Analysis ; Single-Blind Method ; },
abstract = {It is debated whether cognitive training of specific executive functions leads to far transfer effects, such as improvements in fluid intelligence (Gf). Within this context, transcranial direct current stimulation and recently also novel protocols such as transcranial random noise and alternating current stimulation are being investigated with regards to their ability to enhance cognitive training outcomes. We compared the effects of four different transcranial electrical brain stimulation protocols in combination with nine daily computerized training sessions on Gf. 82 participants were randomly assigned to receive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), random noise stimulation (tRNS), multifocal alternating current stimulation at 40 Hz (mftACS), or multifocal tDCS (mftDCS) in combination with an adaptive and synergistic executive function (EF) training, or to a no-contact control group. EF training consisted of gamified tasks drawing on isolated as well as integrated executive functions (working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility). Transfer was assessed with a combined measure of Gf including three established tests (Bochumer Matrizentest - BOMAT, Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices - RAPM, and Sandia Matrices). We found significant improvements in Gf for the tDCS, mftDCS, and tRNS groups when compared with the no-contact group. In contrast, the mftACS group did not improve significantly and showed a similar pattern as the no-contact group. Mediation analyses indicated that the improvement in Gf was mediated through game progression in the mftDCS and tRNS group. Electrical brain stimulation in combination with sustained EF training can lead to transfer effects in Gf, which are mediated by training progression.},
}

Brain/*physiology
Brain Mapping
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/*methods
Electric Stimulation/*methods
Executive Function/physiology
Female
Humans
Intelligence/*physiology
Male
Negotiating
Regression Analysis
Single-Blind Method

@article {pmid29675138,
year = {2018},
author = {Hu, L and Jiang, L and Bi, K and Liao, H and Yang, Z and Huang, X and Bao, Z},
title = {Genomic in situ hybridization in interspecific hybrids of scallops (Bivalvia, Pectinidae) and localization of the satellite DNA Cf303, and the vertebrate telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n on chromosomes of scallop Chlamys farreri (Jones & Preston, 1904).},
journal = {Comparative cytogenetics},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
pages = {83-95},
pmid = {29675138},
issn = {1993-0771},
abstract = {Mitotic chromosome preparations of the interspecific hybrids Chlamys farreri (Jones & Preston, 1904) × Patinopecten yessoensis (Jay, 1857), C. farreri × Argopecten irradians (Lamarck, 1819) and C. farreri × Mimachlamys nobilis (Reeve, 1852) were used to compare two different scallop genomes in a single slide. Although genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) using genomic DNA from each scallop species as probe painted mitotic chromosomes of the interspecific hybrids, the painting results were not uniform; instead it showed species-specific distribution patterns of fluorescent signals among the chromosomes. The most prominent GISH-bands were mainly located at centromeric or telomeric regions of scallop chromosomes. In order to illustrate the sequence constitution of the GISH-bands, the satellite Cf303 sequences of C. farreri and the vertebrate telomeric (TTAGGG)n sequences were used to map mitotic chromosomes of C. farreri by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The results indicated that the GISH-banding pattern presented by the chromosomes of C. farreri is mainly due to the distribution of the satellite Cf303 DNA, therefore suggesting that the GISH-banding patterns found in the other three scallops could also be the result of the chromosomal distribution of other species-specific satellite DNAs.},
}

@article {pmid29675942,
year = {2018},
author = {Janecko, N and Halova, D and Jamborova, I and Papousek, I and Masarikova, M and Dolejska, M and Literak, I},
title = {Occurrence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. recovered from Corvus brachyrhynchos and Corvus corax roosting in Canada.},
journal = {Letters in applied microbiology},
volume = {67},
number = {2},
pages = {130-135},
doi = {10.1111/lam.12993},
pmid = {29675942},
issn = {1472-765X},
mesh = {Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; Bird Diseases/*drug therapy/microbiology ; Canada ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Crows/*microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial/*genetics ; Escherichia coli/*drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/microbiology ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections/drug therapy/microbiology ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/*drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Multilocus Sequence Typing ; Plasmids/*genetics ; Quinolones/*pharmacology ; },
abstract = {UNLABELLED: The spread of antimicrobial resistance from human activity derived sources to natural habitats implicates wildlife as potential vectors of antimicrobial resistance transfer. Wild birds, including corvid species can disseminate mobile genetic resistance determinants through faeces. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates obtained from winter roosting sites of American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and common ravens (Corvus corax) in Canada. Faecal swabs were collected at five roosting sites across Canada. Selective media isolation and multiplex PCR screening was utilized to identify PMQR genes followed by gene sequencing, pulse-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing to characterize isolates. Despite the low prevalence of E. coli containing PMQR (1·3%, 6/449), qnrS1, qnrB19, qnrC, oqxAB and aac(6')-Ib-cr genes were found in five sequence types (ST), including E. coli ST 131. Conversely, one isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae contained the plasmid-mediated resistance gene qnrB19. Five different K. pneumoniae STs were identified, including two novel types. The occurrence of PMQR genes and STs of public health significance in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae recovered from corvids gives further evidence of the anthropogenic derived dissemination of antimicrobial resistance determinants at the human activity-wildlife-environment interface.

This study examined large corvids as possible vector species for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in indicator and pathogenic bacteria as a means to assess the anthropogenic dissemination of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes. Although rare, PMQR genes were found among corvid populations across Canada. The clinically important Escherichia coli strain ST131 containing aac(6')-Ib-cr gene along with a four-class phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pattern as well as one Klebsiella pneumoniae strain containing a qnrB19 gene were identified in one geographical location. Corvids are a viable vector for the circulation of PMQR genes and clinically important clones in wide-ranging environments.},
}

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology
Bird Diseases/*drug therapy/microbiology
Canada
Cross-Sectional Studies
Crows/*microbiology
Drug Resistance, Bacterial/*genetics
Escherichia coli/*drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification
Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/microbiology
Humans
Klebsiella Infections/drug therapy/microbiology
Klebsiella pneumoniae/*drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Multilocus Sequence Typing
Plasmids/*genetics
Quinolones/*pharmacology

@article {pmid29690109,
year = {2018},
author = {Hammer, MP and Allen, GR and Martin, KC and Adams, M and Ebner, BC and Raadik, TA and Unmack, PJ},
title = {Revision of the Australian Wet Tropics endemic rainbowfish genus Cairnsichthys (Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae), with description of a new species.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {4413},
number = {2},
pages = {271-294},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4413.2.3},
pmid = {29690109},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animal Distribution ; Animals ; Australia ; Ecosystem ; *Fishes ; Male ; Queensland ; },
abstract = {The freshwater melanotaeniid genus Cairnsichthys is endemic to a relatively small area of specialised habitat within the Wet Tropics bioregion of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. It was previously considered as monotypic, including only a single species, C. rhombosomoides (Nichols Raven, 1928). The recent discovery of an apparently-isolated population in the Daintree rainforest, approximately 120 km north of the known range extent, prompted a detailed investigation of its taxonomic status using a combined lines of evidence approach. We provide compelling evidence from multiple nuclear genetic markers (52 allozyme loci), mitochondrial DNA sequence data (1141 bp cytochrome b) and morphology (examination of a suite of 38 morphometric and meristic characters) that supports north-south splitting of C. rhombosomoides. Accordingly, we describe the northern population as a distinct species, C. bitaeniatus sp. nov., on the basis of 25 specimens, 34.7-65.6 mm SL. The new species differs morphologically primarily by having a more slender and narrow shape, featuring a flatter, straighter predorsal profile and shorter second dorsal fin base; possession of slightly smaller scales, reflected in higher counts of lateral scales and predorsal scales; typically more vertebrae; and colour differences including a more robust, short black stripe across the upper operculum, a pronounced yellow patch on the anteroventral body and usually a more conspicuous second dark stripe on the lower body, with adult males generally having yellowish compared to reddish fins. We also provide a generic diagnosis for Cairnsichthys and a redescription of C. rhombosomoides. Information on the known distribution, habitats and conservation status of species in the genus is summarised, the new species being of particular concern as a narrow range endemic with specific environmental requirements.},
}

Animal Distribution
Animals
Australia
Ecosystem
*Fishes
Male
Queensland

@article {pmid29693817,
year = {2017},
author = {Washio, Y and Frederick, J and Archibald, A and Bertram, N and Crowe, JA},
title = {Community-I nitiated Pilot Program "My Baby's Breath" to Reduce Prenatal Alcohol Use.},
journal = {Delaware medical journal},
volume = {89},
number = {2},
pages = {46-51},
pmid = {29693817},
issn = {0011-7781},
mesh = {Alcohol Drinking/*prevention & control ; Community Health Services ; Female ; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/*prevention & control ; *Health Education ; Humans ; Pilot Projects ; *Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/*prevention & control ; United States ; },
abstract = {Prenatal alcohol use puts mothers and their children at risk for complications during pregnancy, birth, and the neonatal periods. This paper describes a currently implemented community-based pilot program to reduce drinking among pregnant mothers. The program has worked in collaboration with case managers from Crow Wing County Social Services. Participants were required to provide daily breath samples with monetary incentives on alcohol-negative sample submissions. The program has treated four pregnant mothers so far, with an average of 94 percent compliance rate and no alcohol-positive breath samples. Future planned adjustments include using a remotely reloadlable debit card to reinforce daily sample submission, switching to completely random monitoring schedules to avoid falsenegative results, and expanding the program service in other counties. The community-based program using mobile technology has promise to increase opportunities to reinforce healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.},
}

Alcohol Drinking/*prevention & control
Community Health Services
Female
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/*prevention & control
*Health Education
Humans
Pilot Projects
*Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications/*prevention & control
United States

@article {pmid29706882,
year = {2018},
author = {Tabei, KI and Satoh, M and Ogawa, JI and Tokita, T and Nakaguchi, N and Nakao, K and Kida, H and Tomimoto, H},
title = {Cognitive Function and Brain Atrophy Predict Non-pharmacological Efficacy in Dementia: The Mihama-Kiho Scan Project2.},
journal = {Frontiers in aging neuroscience},
volume = {10},
number = {},
pages = {87},
pmid = {29706882},
issn = {1663-4365},
abstract = {We aimed to determine whether neuropsychological deficits and brain atrophy could predict the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions. Forty-six participants with mild-to-moderate dementia were monitored for 6 months; 25 underwent an intervention involving physical exercise with music, and 21 performed cognitive stimulation tasks. Participants were categorized into improvement (IMP) and no-IMP subgroups. In the exercise-with-music group, the no-IMP subgroup performed worse than the IMP subgroup on the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test at baseline. In the cognitive-stimulation group, the no-IMP subgroup performed worse than the IMP subgroup on Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices and the cognitive functional independence measure at baseline. In the no-IMP subgroup, voxel-based morphometric analysis at baseline revealed more extensive gray matter loss in the anterior cingulate gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus in the exercise-with-music and cognitive-stimulation groups, respectively. Participants with mild-to-moderate dementia with cognitive decline and extensive cortical atrophy are less likely to show improved cognitive function after non-pharmaceutical therapy.},
}

@article {pmid29714876,
year = {2017},
author = {Liapi, S and Polychronopoulou, S},
title = {Cognitive and socio-emotional development and manifestation of learning disabilities of 8- to 10-year-old children born after intracytoplasmatic sperm injection compared to naturally conceived children.},
journal = {Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology},
volume = {44},
number = {1},
pages = {104-109},
pmid = {29714876},
issn = {0390-6663},
mesh = {Child ; *Child Development ; *Cognition ; Female ; Humans ; *Intelligence ; Intelligence Tests ; Learning Disabilities ; Male ; *Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; },
abstract = {OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cognitive and socio-emotional development, as well as the mani- festation of learning disabilities of eight- to ten-year-old children born after intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Developmental outcomes of 40 children born after ICSI were compared with those of 40 children born after spontaneous conception (SC). Outcome measures included the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Athina Test of Learning Difficulties.

RESULTS: Regarding cognitive development, ICSI children tend to obtain a similar intelligence score with SC children on Raven's Test. No significant differences were noted on CBCL's syndrome and abilities' profiles, and on Athina Test.

CONCLUSIONS: ICSI and SC children show a comparable cognitive and socio-emotional development and have the same chances of manifesting learning disabilities. None of the demographic factors taken into consideration (age, sex of the child, and educational level of the parents) nor the mode of conception seem to affect their well-being.},
}

Child
*Child Development
*Cognition
Female
Humans
*Intelligence
Intelligence Tests
Learning Disabilities
Male
*Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

@article {pmid29737706,
year = {2016},
author = {Wang, QY and Zhao, YZ and Luo, X and Hua, JQ and Li, Z and Xu, JL},
title = {[Potential nest predators of Syrmaticus reevesii based on camera traps and artificial nests.].},
journal = {Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology},
volume = {27},
number = {6},
pages = {1968-1974},
doi = {10.13287/j.1001-9332.201606.020},
pmid = {29737706},
issn = {1001-9332},
mesh = {Animals ; *Breeding ; Ecosystem ; *Galliformes ; Nesting Behavior ; *Predatory Behavior ; },
abstract = {In order to understand the background of the field breeding ecology of Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) inside and outside of protected area, an investigation on nest predation rate, potential nest predators and the habitat factors affecting nest predation was conducted at Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province and Pingjingguan Village, Hubei Province, which were protected and non-protected area, respectively. The fieldwork was conducted from March to July 2014, and artificial nests (taking eggs as bait), camera traps and habitat plots were used at these two sites to catch information about nest predation. Experiments were designed in two rounds, including the early-breeding stage (March to April) and mid-breeding stage (May to June). We placed 149 artificial ground nests with 62 randomly picked nest sites, each monitored by one camera. The working days of all cameras were 1315 days, and we finally obtained 7776 pictures and 6950 video clips. The results showed that the rate of nest predation outside the protected areas (Pingjingguan) was higher than that in nature reserve (Dongzhai), with highly significant diffe-rences both in early-breeding and mid-breeding stages. In two stages, more nest predator species (11 and 6 species in two stages, respectively) occurred in Pingjingguan than in Dongzhai (7 and 5 species, respectively). In Pingjingguan, Glires and Corvidae were top predators, while in Dongzhai Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) was firstly ranked. Slope degree and arbor canopy cover were positively related with the nest predation rate in Pingjingguan, while fallen leaves coverage had significant influence on nest predation in Dongzhai. We also found wild Reeves's pheasant paid visits to 13 artificial nests for 18 times by viewing the pictures and video clips.},
}

Animals
*Breeding
Ecosystem
*Galliformes
Nesting Behavior
*Predatory Behavior

@article {pmid29743545,
year = {2018},
author = {Woods, RD and Kings, M and McIvor, GE and Thornton, A},
title = {Caller characteristics influence recruitment to collective anti-predator events in jackdaws.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {7343},
pmid = {29743545},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {BB/H021817/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; BB/H021817/2/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; 630051486/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom ; },
mesh = {*Animal Communication ; Animals ; Crows/*physiology ; Female ; Male ; Social Behavior ; *Social Responsibility ; Vocalization, Animal/physiology ; },
abstract = {Across the animal kingdom, examples abound of individuals coming together to repel external threats. When such collective actions are initiated by recruitment signals, individuals may benefit from being selective in whom they join, so the identity of the initiator may determine the magnitude of the group response. However, the role of signaller discrimination in coordinating group-level responses has yet to be tested. Here we show that in wild jackdaws, a colonial corvid species, collective responses to anti-predator recruitment calls are mediated by caller characteristics. In playbacks next to nestboxes, the calls of nestbox residents attracted most recruits, followed in turn by other colony members, non-colony members and rooks (a sympatric corvid). Playbacks in fields outside nestbox colonies, where the immediate threat to broods was lower, showed similar results, with highest recruitment to nearby colony members' calls. Responses were further influenced by caller sex: calls from non-colony member females were less likely to elicit responsive scolding by recruits than other calls, potentially reflecting social rank associated with sex and colony membership. These results show that vocal discrimination mediates jackdaws' collective responses and highlight the need for further research into the cognitive basis of collective actions in animal groups.},
}

*Animal Communication
Animals
Crows/*physiology
Female
Male
Social Behavior
*Social Responsibility
Vocalization, Animal/physiology

@article {pmid29764777,
year = {2018},
author = {Monshizadeh, L and Vameghi, R and Sajedi, F and Yadegari, F and Hashemi, SB and Kirchem, P and Kasbi, F},
title = {Comparison of Social Interaction between Cochlear-Implanted Children with Normal Intelligence Undergoing Auditory Verbal Therapy and Normal-Hearing Children: A Pilot Study.},
journal = {The journal of international advanced otology},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {34-38},
pmid = {29764777},
issn = {1308-7649},
mesh = {Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation/*adverse effects/methods ; Cochlear Implants/*statistics & numerical data ; Correction of Hearing Impairment/methods ; Female ; Hearing/*physiology ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/*surgery ; Humans ; Intelligence/*physiology ; Interpersonal Relations ; Iran/epidemiology ; Language Development ; Male ; Speech Perception/physiology ; },
abstract = {OBJECTIVE: A cochlear implant is a device that helps hearing-impaired children by transmitting sound signals to the brain and helping them improve their speech, language, and social interaction. Although various studies have investigated the different aspects of speech perception and language acquisition in cochlear-implanted children, little is known about their social skills, particularly Persian-speaking cochlear-implanted children. Considering the growing number of cochlear implants being performed in Iran and the increasing importance of developing near-normal social skills as one of the ultimate goals of cochlear implantation, this study was performed to compare the social interaction between Iranian cochlear-implanted children who have undergone rehabilitation (auditory verbal therapy) after surgery and normal-hearing children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study compared the social interaction level of 30 children with normal hearing and 30 with cochlear implants who were conveniently selected. The Raven test was administered to the both groups to ensure normal intelligence quotient. The social interaction status of both groups was evaluated using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.

RESULTS: After controlling age as a covariate variable, no significant difference was observed between the social interaction scores of both the groups (p > 0.05). In addition, social interaction had no correlation with sex in either group.

CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation followed by auditory verbal rehabilitation helps children with sensorineural hearing loss to have normal social interactions, regardless of their sex.},
}

Child
Child, Preschool
Cochlear Implantation/*adverse effects/methods
Cochlear Implants/*statistics & numerical data
Correction of Hearing Impairment/methods
Female
Hearing/*physiology
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/*surgery
Humans
Intelligence/*physiology
Interpersonal Relations
Iran/epidemiology
Language Development
Male
Speech Perception/physiology

@article {pmid29768124,
year = {2018},
author = {Fronzetti Colladon, A and Grippa, F},
title = {The Importance of Being Honest: Correlating Self-Report Accuracy and Network Centrality with Academic Performance.},
journal = {The Journal of psychology},
volume = {152},
number = {5},
pages = {304-324},
doi = {10.1080/00223980.2018.1459443},
pmid = {29768124},
issn = {1940-1019},
mesh = {Academic Performance/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Deception ; Engineering/education ; Female ; Friends/psychology ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Male ; Personality ; Self Report/*standards ; Students/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Trust/psychology ; *Truth Disclosure ; Universities ; Young Adult ; },
abstract = {This study investigates the correlation of self-report accuracy with academic performance. The sample was composed of 289 undergraduate students (96 senior and 193 junior) enrolled in two engineering classes. Age ranged between 22 and 24 years, with a slight over representation of male students (53%). Academic performance was calculated based on students' final grades in each class. The tendency to report inaccurate information was measured at the end of the Raven Progressive Matrices Test, by asking students to report their exact finishing times. We controlled for gender, age, personality traits, intelligence, and past academic performance. We also included measures of centrality in their friendship, advice and trust networks. Correlation and multiple regression analyses results indicate that lower achieving students were significantly less accurate in self-reporting data. We also found that being more central in the advice network was correlated with higher performance (r = .20, p < .001). The results are aligned with existing literature emphasizing the individual and relational factors associated with academic performance and, pending future studies, may be utilized to include a new metric of self-report accuracy that is not dependent on academic records.},
}

Academic Performance/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data
Deception
Engineering/education
Female
Friends/psychology
Humans
Intelligence
Male
Personality
Self Report/*standards
Students/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data
Trust/psychology
*Truth Disclosure
Universities
Young Adult

@article {pmid29774435,
year = {2018},
author = {Stow, MK and Vernouillet, A and Kelly, DM},
title = {Neophobia does not account for motoric self-regulation performance as measured during the detour-reaching cylinder task.},
journal = {Animal cognition},
volume = {21},
number = {4},
pages = {565-574},
doi = {10.1007/s10071-018-1189-8},
pmid = {29774435},
issn = {1435-9456},
support = {312379-2009//Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Attention ; Exploratory Behavior ; Fear ; *Learning ; Passeriformes/physiology ; *Self-Control ; },
abstract = {The ability to restrain a prepotent response in favor of a more adaptive behavior, or to exert inhibitory control, has been used as a measure of a species' cognitive abilities. Inhibitory control defines a spectrum of behaviors varying in complexity, ranging from self-control to motoric self-regulation. Several factors underlying inhibitory control have been identified, however, the influence of neophobia (i.e., aversion to novelty) on inhibitory control has not received much attention. Neophobia is known to affect complex cognitive abilities, but whether neophobia also influences more basic cognitive abilities, such as motoric self-regulation, has received less attention. Further, it remains unclear whether an individual's response to novelty is consistent across different paradigms purported to assess neophobia. We tested two North American corvid species, black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia) and California scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica) using two well-established neophobia paradigms to assess response stability between contexts. We then evaluated neophobia scores against the number of trials needed to learn a motoric self-regulation task, as well as subsequent task performance. Neophobia scores did not correlate across paradigms, nor did the responses during either paradigm account for motoric self-regulation performance.},
}

Animals
Attention
Exploratory Behavior
Fear
*Learning
Passeriformes/physiology
*Self-Control

@article {pmid29790246,
year = {2018},
author = {Roos, S and Smart, J and Gibbons, DW and Wilson, JD},
title = {A review of predation as a limiting factor for bird populations in mesopredator-rich landscapes: a case study of the UK.},
journal = {Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society},
volume = {93},
number = {4},
pages = {1915-1937},
doi = {10.1111/brv.12426},
pmid = {29790246},
issn = {1469-185X},
mesh = {Animals ; Birds/*physiology ; Mammals/*physiology ; Population Density ; *Predatory Behavior ; United Kingdom ; },
abstract = {The impact of increasing vertebrate predator numbers on bird populations is widely debated among the general public, game managers and conservationists across Europe. However, there are few systematic reviews of whether predation limits the population sizes of European bird species. Views on the impacts of predation are particularly polarised in the UK, probably because the UK has a globally exceptional culture of intensive, high-yield gamebird management where predator removal is the norm. In addition, most apex predators have been exterminated or much depleted in numbers, contributing to a widely held perception that the UK has high numbers of mesopredators. This has resulted in many high-quality studies of mesopredator impacts over several decades. Here we present results from a systematic review of predator trends and abundance, and assess whether predation limits the population sizes of 90 bird species in the UK. Our results confirm that the generalist predators Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Crows (Corvus corone and C. cornix) occur at high densities in the UK compared with other European countries. In addition, some avian and mammalian predators have increased numerically in the UK during recent decades. Despite these high and increasing densities of predators, we found little evidence that predation limits populations of pigeons, woodpeckers and passerines, whereas evidence suggests that ground-nesting seabirds, waders and gamebirds can be limited by predation. Using life-history characteristics of prey species, we found that mainly long-lived species with high adult survival and late onset of breeding were limited by predation. Single-brooded species were also more likely to be limited by predation than multi-brooded species. Predators that depredate prey species during all life stages (i.e. from nest to adult stages) limited prey numbers more than predators that depredated only specific life stages (e.g. solely during the nest phase). The Red Fox and non-native mammals (e.g. the American Mink Neovison vison) were frequently identified as numerically limiting their prey species. Our review has identified predator-prey interactions that are particularly likely to result in population declines of prey species. In the short term, traditional predator-management techniques (e.g. lethal control or fencing to reduce predation by a small number of predator species) could be used to protect these vulnerable species. However, as these techniques are costly and time-consuming, we advocate that future research should identify land-use practices and landscape configurations that would reduce predator numbers and predation rates.},
}

Animals
Birds/*physiology
Mammals/*physiology
Population Density
*Predatory Behavior
United Kingdom

@article {pmid29795929,
year = {2017},
author = {Zeller, F and Krampen, D and Reiß, S and Schweizer, K},
title = {Do Adaptive Representations of the Item-Position Effect in APM Improve Model Fit? A Simulation Study.},
journal = {Educational and psychological measurement},
volume = {77},
number = {5},
pages = {743-765},
pmid = {29795929},
issn = {1552-3888},
abstract = {The item-position effect describes how an item's position within a test, that is, the number of previous completed items, affects the response to this item. Previously, this effect was represented by constraints reflecting simple courses, for example, a linear increase. Due to the inflexibility of these representations our aim was to examine whether adapted representations are more appropriate than the existing ones. Models of confirmatory factor analysis were used for testing the different representations. Analyses were conducted by means of simulated data that followed the covariance pattern of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) items. Since the item-position effect has been demonstrated repeatedly for the APM, it is a very suitable measure for our investigations. Results revealed no remarkable improvement by using an adapted representation. Possible reasons causing these results are discussed.},
}