Culture moderates the relationship between interdependence and face recognition

Recent theory suggests that face recognition accuracy is affected by people’s motivations, with people being particularly motivated to remember ingroup versus outgroup faces. In the current research we suggest that those higher in interdependence should have a greater motivation to remember ingroup faces, but this should depend on how ingroups are defined. To examine this possibility, we used a joint individual difference and cultural approach to test (a) whether individual differences in interdependence would predict face recognition accuracy, and (b) whether this effect would be moderated by culture. In Study 1 European Canadians higher in interdependence demonstrated greater recognition for same-race (White), but not cross-race (East Asian) faces. In Study 2 we found that culture moderated this effect. Interdependence again predicted greater recognition for same-race (White), but not cross-race (East Asian) faces among European Canadians; however, interdependence predicted worse recognition for both same-race (East Asian) and cross-race (White) faces among first-generation East Asians. The results provide insight into the role of motivation in face perception as well as cultural differences in the conception of ingroups

PCR-based gene synthesis to produce recombinant proteins for crystallization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene synthesis technologies are an important tool for structural biology projects, allowing increased protein expression through codon optimization and facilitating sequence alterations. Existing methods, however, can be complex and not always reproducible, prompting researchers to use commercial suppliers rather than synthesize genes themselves.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A PCR-based gene synthesis method, referred to as SeqTBIO, is described to efficiently assemble the coding regions of two novel hyperthermophilic proteins, PAZ (Piwi/Argonaute/Zwille) domain, a siRNA-binding domain of an Argonaute protein homologue and a deletion mutant of a family A DNA polymerase (PolA). The gene synthesis procedure is based on sequential assembly such that homogeneous DNA products can be obtained after each synthesis step without extensive manipulation or purification requirements. Coupling the gene synthesis procedure to <it>in vivo </it>homologous recombination techniques allows efficient subcloning and site-directed mutagenesis for error correction. The recombinant proteins of PAZ and PolA were subsequently overexpressed in <it>E. coli </it>and used for protein crystallization. Crystals of both proteins were obtained and they were suitable for X-ray analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We demonstrate, by using PAZ and PolA as examples, the feasibility of integrating the gene synthesis, error correction and subcloning techniques into a non-automated gene to crystal pipeline such that genes can be designed, synthesized and implemented for recombinant expression and protein crystallization.</p

Consensus and meta-analysis regulatory networks for combining multiple microarray gene expression datasets

Microarray data is a key source of experimental data for modelling gene regulatory interactions from expression levels. With the rapid increase of publicly available microarray data comes the opportunity to produce regulatory network models based on multiple datasets. Such models are potentially more robust with greater confidence, and place less reliance on a single dataset. However, combining datasets directly can be difficult as experiments are often conducted on different microarray platforms, and in different laboratories leading to inherent biases in the data that are not always removed through pre-processing such as normalisation. In this paper we compare two frameworks for combining microarray datasets to model regulatory networks: pre- and post-learning aggregation. In pre-learning approaches, such as using simple scale-normalisation prior to the concatenation of datasets, a model is learnt from a combined dataset, whilst in post-learning aggregation individual models are learnt from each dataset and the models are combined. We present two novel approaches for post-learning aggregation, each based on aggregating high-level features of Bayesian network models that have been generated from different microarray expression datasets. Meta-analysis Bayesian networks are based on combining statistical confidences attached to network edges whilst Consensus Bayesian networks identify consistent network features across all datasets. We apply both approaches to multiple datasets from synthetic and real (Escherichia coli and yeast) networks and demonstrate that both methods can improve on networks learnt from a single dataset or an aggregated dataset formed using a standard scale-normalisation

How robust is the own-group face recognition bias? Evidence from first- and second-generation East Asian Canadians

There is mounting evidence that North Americans are better able to remember faces of targets who belong to the same social group, and this is true even when the social groups are experimentally created. Yet, how Western cultural contexts afford the development of this own group face recognition bias remains unknown. This question is particularly important given that recent findings suggest that first-generation East Asian Canadians do not show this bias. In the current research, we examined the own-group bias among first- and second-generation East Asian Canadians, who vary systematically in their exposure to and engagement in a Western cultural context, and tested mediators that could explain any difference. In Study 1, second-generation East Asian Canadians showed better memory for same-group (vs. other-group) faces. In Studies 2 and 3, as well as a meta-analysis of all three studies, we found some additional evidence that second-generation East Asian Canadians show better memory for same-group (vs. other-group) faces, whereas first-generation East Asian Canadians do not, but only when each cultural group was examined separately in each study, as no interaction with generational status emerged. In Study 2, and in a higher powered pre-registered Study 3, we also examined whether second- (vs. first-) generational status had a positive indirect effect on same-group face recognition through the effects of acculturation and perceived relational mobility in the immediate social environment, however this mediation model was not supported by the data. Overall, the results provide some additional evidence that the effect of mere social categorization on face recognition may not be as consistently found among East Asian participants

Cases of advanced visual field loss at referral to glaucoma clinics - more men than women?

Purpose In many medical conditions ‘late presentation’ of disease is more of a problem for men than women. Risk of sight loss from glaucoma is certainly greater in those detected with advanced disease. We performed a retrospective study to test the hypothesis that men are more likely than women to have advanced visual field loss at referral to glaucoma clinics. Methods We used 152 918 Humphrey visual fields from 32 147 patients from three regionally different hospitals in England; no other clinical data were made available apart from patient's age, sex and examination dates. The study population was defined as patients with measureable visual field loss in at least one eye at referral to glaucoma clinics. Cases of advanced visual field loss as defined by the Enhanced Glaucoma Severity Staging method at the first visit to secondary care were used as a proxy measure for late presentation of glaucoma. Age-adjusted relative risk (RR) was calculated as the ratio of the proportion of men to women with this proxy measure. Results Median (interquartile range) age and MD (worse eye) for 3733 men and 4264 women was 72 (63, 79) and 74 (64, 81) years and −6.4 (−11.7, −3.8) and −6.3 (−11.0, −3.8) dB respectively. Overall proportion of patients with advanced visual field loss at referral to glaucoma clinics was slightly higher in men (25.0%) than in women (22.3%); this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Overall age-standardised RR was statistically significant (1.16; p < 0.001); a person with late presentation of glaucoma is 16% (95% confidence interval: 7–25%) more likely to be a man than a woman. Conclusions A large number of patients with glaucomatous visual field defects are estimated to have advanced loss in at least one eye on referral to secondary care in England; risk for men more likely presenting with late disease is slightly greater than for women

Identity-by-descent filtering as a tool for the identification of disease alleles in exome sequence data from distant relatives

Large-scale, deep resequencing may be the next logical step in the genetic investigation of common complex diseases. Because each individual is likely to carry many thousands of variants, the identification of causal alleles requires an efficient strategy to reduce the number of candidate variants. Under many genetic models, causal alleles can be expected to reside within identity-by-descent (IBD) regions shared by affected relatives. In distant relatives, IBD regions constitute a small portion of the genome and can thus greatly reduce the search space for causal alleles. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is unknown. We test the simulated mini-exome data set in extended pedigrees provided by Genetic Analysis Workshop 17. At the fourth- and fifth-degree level of relatedness, case-case pairs shared between 1% and 9% of the genome identical by descent. As expected, no genes were shared identical by descent by all case subjects, but 43 genes were shared by many case subjects across at least 50 replicates. We filtered variants in these genes based on population frequency, function, informativeness, and evidence of association using the family-based association test. This analysis highlighted five genes previously implicated in triglyceride, lipid, and cholesterol metabolism. Comparison with the list of true risk alleles revealed that strict IBD filtering followed by association testing of the rarest alleles was the most sensitive strategy. IBD filtering may be a useful strategy for narrowing down the list of candidate variants in exome data, but the optimal degree of relatedness of affected pairs will depend on the genetic architecture of the disease under study

Multiwavelength monitoring and X-ray brightening of Be X-ray binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 on its approach to periastron

The radio and gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2032+4127 was recently found to be in a decades-long orbit with the Be star MT91 213, with the pulsar moving rapidly towards periastron. This binary shares many similar characteristics with the previously unique binary system PSR B1259−63/LS 2883. Here, we describe radio, X-ray, and optical monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. Our extended orbital phase coverage in radio, supplemented with Fermi LAT gamma-ray data, allows us to update and refine the orbital period to 45–50 yr and time of periastron passage to 2017 November. We analyse archival and recent Chandra and Swift observations and show that PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 is now brighter in X-rays by a factor of ∼70 since 2002 and ∼20 since 2010. While the pulsar is still far from periastron, this increase in X-rays is possibly due to collisions between pulsar and Be star winds. Optical observations of the Hα emission line of the Be star suggest that the size of its circumstellar disc may be varying by ∼2 over time-scales as short as 1–2 months. Multiwavelength monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 will continue through periastron passage, and the system should present an interesting test case and comparison to PSR B1259−63/LS 2883

Predicting ICU Admissions from Attempted Suicide Presentations at an Emergency Department in Central Queensland, Australia

BackgroundEmergency medicine physicians and psychiatric staff face a challenging job in risk stratifying patients presenting with suicide attempts to predict which patients need intensive care unit admission, hospital admission or can be discharged with psychiatry follow up.AimsThis study aims to analyse patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit or regular ward for suicide attempt, and the methods they employed in a rural Australian base hospital.MethodWe conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who presented with suicide attempts to the Rockhampton Base Hospital Emergency Department, Queensland Australia from 1 September 2007 to 31 August 2009. Multivariate logistic regression was undertaken to identify risk factors for ICU and regular ward admission, and predictors of suicide method.ResultsThere were 570 patients presenting with suicide attempts, 74 of which were repeat suicide attempts. There was a 10-fold increase in the odds of intensive care unit or ICU admission (CI 1.45-81.9, p=0.02) for patients who presented with drug overdose. Increased age (OR=1.02, 95 per cent CI 1.00-1.03, p=0.05), drug overdose (OR=2.69, 95 per cent CI 1.37-5.29, p=0.004), and previous suicide attempt (OR=1.53, 95 per cent CI 1.03-2.28, p=0.03) were significantly correlated with hospital admission. Male patients (OR=2.76, 95 per cent CI 1.43-5.30, p=0.002) and Aboriginal patients (OR=3.38, 95 per cent CI 1.42-8.05, p=0.006) were more likely to choose hanging as a suicide method.ConclusionWe identified drug overdose as a strong predictor of ICU admission, while age, drug overdose and history of previous suicide attempts predict hospital admission. We recommend reviewing physician practices, especially safe medication, in suicide risk patients. Our study also highlights the need for continued close collaboration by acute care and community mental health providers for quality improvement

The semicentennial binary system PSR J2032+4127 at periastron: X-ray photometry, optical spectroscopy, and SPH modelling

X-ray photometry and optical spectra are presented covering the periastron passage of the highly eccentric, ∼50 yr binary system PSR J2032+4127 in 2017 November. This system consists of a 143 ms pulsar in orbit around a massive OB star, MT 91-213. The data show dramatic changes during the encounter as the pulsar wind collided with the stellar wind. The X-ray flux rose on the approach to periastron, then underwent a major dip in the few days around periastron, and then gradually declined over the next few weeks. The optical spectroscopy revealed a steady decline in the H α line strength on the approach to periastron (from an equivalent width of −15 to −7 Å) implying a truncation of the OB star’s circumstellar disc by the approaching neutron star. Smooth particle hydrodynamic modelling is used here to model the system within the context of the observed behaviour and predict the geometrical configuration of the circumstellar disc with respect to the pulsar’s orbit