A review of visual perspective taking in autism spectrum disorder

Impairments in social cognition are a key symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People with autism have great difficulty with understanding the beliefs and desires of other people. In recent years literature has begun to examine the link between impairments in social cognition and abilities which demand the use of spatial and social skills, such as visual perspective taking (VPT). Flavell (1977) defined two levels of perspective taking: VPT level 1 is the ability to understand that other people have a different line of sight to ourselves, whereas VPT level 2 is the understanding that two people viewing the same item from different points in space may see different things. So far, literature on whether either level of VPT is impaired or intact in autism is inconsistent. Here we review studies which have examined VPT levels 1 and 2 in people with autism with a focus on their methods. We conclude the review with an evaluation of the findings into VPT in autism and give recommendations for future research which may give a clearer insight into whether perspective taking is truly impaired in autism

The shaping of social perception by stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy

Contains fulltext : 151462.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Although robots are becoming an ever-growing presence in society, we do not hold the same expectations for robots as we do for humans, nor do we treat them the same. As such, the ability to recognize cues to human animacy is fundamental for guiding social interactions. We review literature that demonstrates cortical networks associated with person perception, action observation and mentalizing are sensitive to human animacy information. In addition, we show that most prior research has explored stimulus properties of artificial agents (humanness of appearance or motion), with less investigation into knowledge cues (whether an agent is believed to have human or artificial origins). Therefore, currently little is known about the relationship between stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy in terms of cognitive and brain mechanisms. Using fMRI, an elaborate belief manipulation, and human and robot avatars, we found that knowledge cues to human animacy modulate engagement of person perception and mentalizing networks, while stimulus cues to human animacy had less impact on social brain networks. These findings demonstrate that self-other similarities are not only grounded in physical features but are also shaped by prior knowledge. More broadly, as artificial agents fulfil increasingly social roles, a challenge for roboticists will be to manage the impact of pre-conceived beliefs while optimizing human-like design.12 p

The effect of Pt surface orientation on the oscillatory electro-oxidation of glycerol

In the present paper, we have studied the influence of (bi)sulfate anion (0.1 and 0.5 M) on the electro-oxidation of glycerol on basal Pt(hkl) and stepped surfaces belonging to the series of Pt(S)[n(1 1 1) × (1 1 1)]. Cyclic voltammograms and derivative voltammetry pointed out that the catalytic activity decreases for Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 1 0) and, to a minor extent, for stepped surfaces in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4. Chronoamperometric curves demonstrated that above 0.60 V (vs RHE), for both concentrations (0.1 and 0.5 mol/L H2SO4), stepped surfaces and Pt(1 1 0) showed greater ability to catalyze the glycerol electro-oxidation in comparison with Pt(1 1 1). Potential oscillations were mapped along with slow galvanodynamic sweeps and studied at constant current. For Pt(1 1 1), no oscillations were found in the galvanodynamic regime, however, under the galvanostatic regime, period 1 oscillations were observed after a long induction period. The oscillations showed a very similar profile for stepped surfaces, even for the Pt(3 3 2) surface, which has a high density of (1 1 0) steps. Pattern changes were observed only for Pt(1 1 0) compared to other surfaces. Therefore, we conclude that (1 1 0) step sites influence the oscillatory behavior, thus the insertion of the steps favors the path of formation of inactive species, which compete for the same catalytic sites in a given potential region. The extinction of the mechanism oscillatory occurs differently due to the intrinsic characteristics of each surface electrode for the formation of (hydro)oxides.The authors acknowledge FAPESP (Grants No. 2013/16930-7 and 2019/22183-6), FAPEAL (process 60030-001076/2016), CAPES - Brasil (CAPES, Grant No. 0001, and for the scholarship, GBM, 88887.341974/2019-00). HV (Grant No. 306060/2017-5) and GTF (Grant No. 313455/2021-0) acknowledge CNPq for financial support. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the RCGI – Research Centre for Gas Innovation, hosted by the University of São Paulo (USP) and sponsored by FAPESP (2014/50279-4 and 2020/15230-5) and Shell Brazil, and the strategic importance of the support given by ANP (Brazil’s National Oil, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Agency) through the R&D levy regulation

Degenerative Lumbar Stenosis: Update

We present a literature review of the diagnosis and treatment of acquired lumbar spinal stenosis (LS), with a brief description of new surgical techniques. LS is the most common cause of spinal surgery in individuals older than 65 years of age. Neurogenic claudication and radiculopathy result from compression of the cauda equina and lumbosacral nerve roots by degenerated spinal elements. Surgical decompression is a well established treatment for patients with refractory, or moderate to severe clinical symptoms. However, the variety of surgical options is vast. New techniques have been developed with the goal of increasing long term functional outcomes. In this article we review lumbar decompression and fusion as treatment options for LS but also present other recent developments. 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Philadelphia: Hanley and BelfusHaig, A.J., Tong, H.C., Yamakawa, K.S., The sensitivity and specity of electrodiagnostic testing for the clinical syndrome of lumbar spinal stenosis (2005) Spine, 30, pp. 2667-2676Atlas, S.J., Keller, R.B., Robson, D., Deyo, R.A., Singer, D.E., Surgical and nonsurgical management of lumbar spinal stenosis: Four-year outcomes from the Maine lumbar spine study (2000) Spine, 25 (5), pp. 556-562. , DOI 10.1097/00007632-200003010-00005Simotas, A.C., Dorey, F.J., Hansraj, K.K., Cammisa Jr., F., Nonoperative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis: Clinical and outcome results and a 3-year survivorship analysis (2000) Spine, 25, pp. 197-204Johnsson, K.-E., Rosen, I., Uden, A., The natural course of lumbar spinal stenosis (1993) Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica, Supplement, 64 (251), pp. 67-68Whitman, J.M., Flynn, T.W., Childs, J.D., A comparison between two physical therapy treatment programs for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: A randomized clinical trial (2006) Spine, 31, pp. 2541-2549Armon, C., Argoff, C.E., Samuels, J., Backonja, M.-M., Assessment: Use of epidural steroid injections to treat radicular lumbosacral pain: Report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology (2007) Neurology, 68 (10), pp. 723-729. , DOI 10.1212/01.wnl.0000256734.34238.e7, PII 0000611420070306000007Friedly, J., Chan, L., Deyo, R., Increases in lumbosacral injections in the medicare population 1994 to 2001 (2007) Spine, 32, pp. 1754-1760Weinstein, J.N., Tosteson, T.D., Lurie, J.D., Surgical versus nonsurgical therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis (2008) N Engl J Med, 358, pp. 794-810. , SPORT InvestigatorsMalmivaara, A., Slatis, P., Heliovaara, M., Sainio, P., Kinnunen, H., Kankare, J., Dalin-Hirvonen, N., Hurri, H., Surgical or nonoperative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis? a randomized controlled trial (2007) Spine, 32 (1), pp. 1-8. , DOI 10.1097/01.brs.0000251014.81875.6d, PII 0000763220070101000002Oertel, M.F., Ryang, Y.-M., Korinth, M.C., Gilsbach, J.M., Rohde, V., Long-term results of microsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis by unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression (2006) Neurosurgery, 59 (6), pp. 1264-1269. , DOI 10.1227/01.NEU.0000245616.32226.58, PII 0000612320061200000013Resnick, D.K., Choudhri, T.F., Dailey, A.T., Guidelines for the performance of fusion procedures for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. 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Philadelphia: WB SaundersHackenberg, L., Halm, H., Bullmann, V., Vieth, V., Schneider, M., Liljenqvist, U., Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: A safe technique with satisfactory three to five year results (2005) European Spine Journal, 14 (6), pp. 551-558. , DOI 10.1007/s00586-004-0830-1Pavlov, P.W., Meijers, H., Van Limbeek, J., Jacobs, W.C.H., Lemmens, J.A.M., Obradov-Rajic, M., De Kleuver, M., Good outcome and restoration of lordosis after anterior lumbar interbody fusion with additional posterior fixation (2004) Spine, 29 (17), pp. 1893-1899. , DOI 10.1097/01.brs.0000137067.68630.70Periasamy, K., Shah, K., Wheelwright, E.F., Posterior lumbar interbody fusion using cages, combined with instrumented posterolateral fusion: A study of 75 cases (2008) Acta Orthop Belg, 74, pp. 240-248Salehi, S.A., Tawk, R., Ganju, A., Lamarca, F., Liu, J.C., Ondra, S.L., Sonntag, V.K.H., Frempong-Boadu, A.K., Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Surgical Technique and Results in 24 Patients (2004) Neurosurgery, 54 (2), pp. 368-374Hsieh, P.C., Koski, T.R., O'Shaughnessy, B.A., Anterior lumbar interbody fusion in comparison with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: Implications for the restoration of foraminal height, local disc angle, lumbar lordosis, and sagittal balance (2007) J Neurosurg Spine, 7, pp. 379-386Ozgur, B.M., Aryan, H.E., Pimenta, L., Taylor, W.R., Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF): A novel surgical technique for anterior lumbar interbody fusion (2006) Spine J, 6, pp. 435-443Ahlmann, E., Patzakis, M., Roidis, N., Shepherd, L., Holtom, P., Comparison of anterior and posterior iliac crest bone grafts in terms of harvest-site morbidity and functional outcomes (2002) Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series a, 84 (5), pp. 716-720+Adv46Zipfel, G.J., Guiot, B.H., Fessler, R.G., Bone grafting (2003) Neurosurg Focus, 14, pp. E8Schizas, C., Triantafyllopoulos, D., Kosmopoulos, V., Tzinieris, N., Stafylas, K., Posterolateral lumbar spine fusion using a novel demineralized bone matrix: A controlled case pilot study (2008) Arch Orthop Trauma Surg, 128, pp. 621-625Boden, S.D., Davis, D.O., Dina, T.S., Patronas, N.J., Wiesel, S.W., Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. a prospective investigation (1990) Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series a, 72 (3), pp. 403-408Hsu, W.K., Wang, J.C., The use of bone morphogenetic protein in spine fusion (2008) Spine J, 8, pp. 419-425Shields, L.B., Raque, G.H., Glassman, S.D., Adverse effects associated with high-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 use in anterior cervical spine fusion (2006) Spine, 31, pp. 542-547Glassman, S.D., Carreon, L., Djurasovic, M., Campbell, M.J., Puno, R.M., Johnson, J.R., Dimar, J.R., Posterolateral lumbar spine fusion with INFUSE bone graft (2007) Spine Journal, 7 (1), pp. 44-49. , DOI 10.1016/j.spinee.2006.06.381, PII S1529943006006930Shim, C.S., Lee, S.H., Shin, H.D., Charite versus ProDisc: A comparative study of a minimun 3-year follow-up (2007) Spine, 32, pp. 1012-1018Guyer, R.D., McAfee, P.C., Hochschuler, S.H., Prospective randomized study of the Charite artificial disc: Data from two investigational centers (2004) Spine J, 4, pp. 252-259Andeson, P.A., Tribus, C.B., Kitchel, S.H., Treatment of neurogenic claudication by interspinous decompression: Application of the X STOP device in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (2006) J Neurosurg Spine, 4, pp. 463-471Kondrashov, D.G., Hannibal, M., Hsu, K.Y., Zucherman, J.F., Interspinous process decompression with the X-STOP device for lumbar spinal stenosis: A 4-year follow-up study (2006) Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques, 19 (5), pp. 323-327. , DOI 10.1097/01.bsd.0000211294.67508.3b, PII 0002472020060700000004Welch, W.C., Cheng, B.C., Awad, T.E., Clinical outcomes of the Dynesys dynamic neutralization system: 1-year preliminary results (2007) Neurosurg Focus, 22, pp. E8Siepe, C.J., Mayer, H.M., Wiechert, K., Korge, A., Clinical results of total lumbar disc replacement with ProDisc II: Three-year results for different indications (2006) Spine, 31 (17), pp. 1923-1932. , DOI 10.1097/01.brs.0000228780.06569.e8, PII 000076322006080100000

Red Queen Coevolution on Fitness Landscapes

Species do not merely evolve, they also coevolve with other organisms. Coevolution is a major force driving interacting species to continuously evolve ex- ploring their fitness landscapes. Coevolution involves the coupling of species fit- ness landscapes, linking species genetic changes with their inter-specific ecological interactions. Here we first introduce the Red Queen hypothesis of evolution com- menting on some theoretical aspects and empirical evidences. As an introduction to the fitness landscape concept, we review key issues on evolution on simple and rugged fitness landscapes. Then we present key modeling examples of coevolution on different fitness landscapes at different scales, from RNA viruses to complex ecosystems and macroevolution.Comment: 40 pages, 12 figures. To appear in "Recent Advances in the Theory and Application of Fitness Landscapes" (H. Richter and A. Engelbrecht, eds.). Springer Series in Emergence, Complexity, and Computation, 201

Simulation of boron diffusion during low-temperature annealing of implanted silicon

Modeling of ion-implanted boron redistribution in silicon crystals during low-temperature annealing with a small thermal budget has been carried out. It was shown that formation of "tails"' in the low-concentration region of impurity profiles occurs due to the long-range migration of boron interstitialsComment: 16 pages, 3 figure

Extended M1 sum rule for excited symmetric and mixed-symmetry states in nuclei

A generalized M1 sum rule for orbital magnetic dipole strength from excited symmetric states to mixed-symmetry states is considered within the proton-neutron interacting boson model of even-even nuclei. Analytic expressions for the dominant terms in the B(M1) transition rates from the first and second $2^+$ states are derived in the U(5) and SO(6) dynamic symmetry limits of the model, and the applicability of a sum rule approach is examined at and in-between these limits. Lastly, the sum rule is applied to the new data on mixed-symmetry states of 94Mo and a quadrupole d-boson ratio $nd(0^+_1)/nd(2^+_2) \approx 0.6$ is obtained in a largely parameter-independent wayComment: 19 pages, 3 figures, Revte

TP53 Pathway Function, Estrogen Receptor Status, and Breast Cancer Risk Factors in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study

Background: TP53 and estrogen receptor (ER) both play essential roles in breast cancer development and progression, with recent research revealing cross-talk between TP53 and ER signaling pathways. Although many studies have demonstrated heterogeneity of risk factor associations across ER subtypes, associations by TP53 status have been inconsistent. Methods: This case-case analysis included incident breast cancer cases (47% Black) from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (1993- 2013). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples were classified for TP53 functional status (mutant-like/wild-type-like) using a validated RNA signature. For IHC-based TP53 status, mutant-like was classified as at least 10% positivity. We used two-stage polytomous logistic regression to evaluate risk factor heterogeneity due to RNA-based TP53 and/or ER, adjusting for each other and for PR, HER2, and grade. We then compared this with the results when using IHC-based TP53 classification. Results: The RNA-based classifier identified 55% of tumors as TP53 wild-type-like and 45% as mutant-like. Several hormonerelated factors (oral contraceptive use, menopausal status, age at menopause, and pre- and postmenopausal body mass index) were associated with TP53 mutant-like status, whereas reproductive factors (age at first birth and parity) and smoking were associated with ER status. Multiparity was associated with both TP53 and ER. When classifying TP53 status using IHC methods, no associations were observed with TP53. Associations observed with RNA-based TP53 remained after accounting for basal-like subtype. Conclusions: This case-case study found breast cancer risk factors associated with RNA-based TP53 and ER

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Postpartum-Associated Breast Cancer in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase I-III, 1993-2013

Background: Breast cancers in recently postpartum women may have worse outcomes, but studies examining tumor molecular features by pregnancy recency have shown conflicting results. Methods: This analysis used Carolina Breast Cancer Study data to examine clinical and molecular tumor features among women less than 50 years of age who were recently (≤10 years prior) or remotely (>10 years prior) postpartum, or nulliparous. Prevalence odds ratios (POR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable models. Results: Recently postpartum women (N = 618) were more frequently lymph node-positive [POR (95% CI): 1.66 (1.26-2.19)], estrogen receptor (ER)-negative [1.37 (1.02-1.83)], and IHC-based triple negative [1.57 (1.00-2.47)] compared with nulliparous (N = 360) women. Some differences were identified between recent versus remotely postpartum; smaller tumor size [0.67 (0.52-0.86)], p53 wildtype [0.53 (0.36-0.77)], and non-basal-like phenotype [0.53 (0.33-0.84)] were more common among recently postpartum. Recently postpartum (vs. nulliparous) had significant enrichment for adaptive immunity, T cells, B cells,CD8 T cells, activated CD8T cells/ natural killer (NK) cells, and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and higher overall immune cell scores. These differences were attenuated in remotely (compared with recently) postpartum women. Conclusions: These results suggest a dominant effect of parity (vs. nulliparity) and a lesser effect of pregnancy recency on tumor molecular features, although tumor immune microenvironments were altered in association with pregnancy recency