Smart Phone, Smart Science: How the Use of Smartphones Can Revolutionize Research in Cognitive Science

Investigating human cognitive faculties such as language, attention, and memory most often relies on testing small and homogeneous groups of volunteers coming to research facilities where they are asked to participate in behavioral experiments. We show that this limitation and sampling bias can be overcome by using smartphone technology to collect data in cognitive science experiments from thousands of subjects from all over the world. This mass coordinated use of smartphones creates a novel and powerful scientific “instrument” that yields the data necessary to test universal theories of cognition. This increase in power represents a potential revolution in cognitive science

Signal Transmission in the Auditory System

Contains table of contents for Section 3, an introduction and reports on six research projects.National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC-00194National Institutes of Health Contract P01-DC-00119National Institutes of Health Fellowship F32-DC00073National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC00238National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC00473National Institutes of Health Grant T32-DC00006National Institutes of Health Grant T32-DC00038National Institutes of Health Contract P01-DC00361National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC00235National Institutes of Health Contract N01-DC2240

Signal Transmission in the Auditory System

Contains table of contents for Section 3, an introduction and reports on six research projects.National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC-00194-11National Institutes of Health Grant P01-DC00119 Sub-Project 1National Institutes of Health Grant F32-DC00073-2National Institutes of Health Contract P01-DC00119National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC00238National Institutes of Health Gramt R01-DC00473National Institutes of Health Grant P01-DC00119National Institutes of Health Grant T32-DC00038PNational Institutes of Health Grant P01-DC00361National Institutes of Health Grant 2RO1 DC00235National Institutes of Health Contract NO1-DC2-240

Basic Atomic Physics

Contains reports on five research projects.National Science Foundation Grant PHY 89-19381National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-21489U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1322Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001National Science Foundation Grant PHY 89-21769U.S. Army - Office of Scientific Research Grant DAAL03-92-G-0229U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-89-J-1207U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-164

Basic Atomic Physics

Contains reports on five research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program Grant DAAH04-95-1-0038National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-21489U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1322National Science Foundation Grant PHY95-14795Charles S. Draper Laboratory Contract DL-H-484775U.S. Army Research Office Contract DAAH04-94-G-0170U.S. Army Research Office Contract DAAH04-95-1-0533U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N00014-89-J-1207U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N000014-96-1-0432David and Lucile Packard Foundation Grant 96-5158National Science Foundation Grant PHY95-01984U.S. Army - Office of ResearchU.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N00014-96-1-0485U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research AASERT N00014-94-1-080

Basic Atomic Physics

Contains reports on five research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001Joint Services Electronics Program Grant DAAH04-95-1-0038National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-21489U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1322National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-22768U.S. Army - Office of Scientific Research Grant DAAL03-92-G-0229U.S. Army - Office of Scientific Research Grant DAAL01-92-6-0197U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-89-J-1207Alfred P. Sloan FoundationU.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1642U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-94-1-080

Basic Atomic Physics

Contains reports on five research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program Grant DAAH04-95-1-0038National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-21489U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1322National Science Foundation Grant PHY 92-22768Charles S. Draper Laboratory Contract DL-H-4847759U.S. Army - Office of Scientific Research Grant DAAL03-92-G-0229U.S. Army - Office of Scientific Research Grant DAAL01-92-6-0197U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-89-J-1207Alfred P. Sloan FoundationNational Science Foundation Grant PHY 95-01984U.S. Army Research Office Contract DAAL01-92-C-0001U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-90-J-1642U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-94-1-080

Isotope Analysis Reveals Foraging Area Dichotomy for Atlantic Leatherback Turtles

Background: The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) has undergone a dramatic decline over the last 25 years, and this is believed to be primarily the result of mortality associated with fisheries bycatch followed by egg and nesting female harvest. Atlantic leatherback turtles undertake long migrations across ocean basins from subtropical and tropical nesting beaches to productive frontal areas. Migration between two nesting seasons can last 2 or 3 years, a time period termed the remigration interval (RI). Recent satellite transmitter data revealed that Atlantic leatherbacks follow two major dispersion patterns after nesting season, through the North Gulf Stream area or more eastward across the North Equatorial Current. However, information on the whole RI is lacking, precluding the accurate identification of feeding areas where conservation measures may need to be applied. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using stable isotopes as dietary tracers we determined the characteristics of feeding grounds of leatherback females nesting in French Guiana. During migration, 3-year RI females differed from 2-year RI females in their isotope values, implying differences in their choice of feeding habitats (offshore vs. more coastal) and foraging latitude (North Atlantic vs. West African coasts, respectively). Egg-yolk and blood isotope values are correlated in nesting females, indicating that egg analysis is a useful tool for assessing isotope values in these turtles, including adults when not available. Conclusions/Significance: Our results complement previous data on turtle movements during the first year following the nesting season, integrating the diet consumed during the year before nesting. We suggest that the French Guiana leatherback population segregates into two distinct isotopic groupings, and highlight the urgent need to determine the feeding habitats of the turtle in the Atlantic in order to protect this species from incidental take by commercial fisheries. Our results also emphasize the use of eggs, a less-invasive sampling material than blood, to assess isotopic data and feeding habits for adult female leatherbacks

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

Background: We previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15–20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in ~ 80% of cases. Methods: We report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded. Results: No gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5–528.7, P = 1.1 × 10−4) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR = 3.70[95%CI 1.3–8.2], P = 2.1 × 10−4). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR = 19.65[95%CI 2.1–2635.4], P = 3.4 × 10−3), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR = 4.40[9%CI 2.3–8.4], P = 7.7 × 10−8). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD] = 43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P = 1.68 × 10−5). Conclusions: Rare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old

The role of open abdomen in non-trauma patient : WSES Consensus Paper

The open abdomen (OA) is defined as intentional decision to leave the fascial edges of the abdomen un-approximated after laparotomy (laparostomy). The abdominal contents are potentially exposed and therefore must be protected with a temporary coverage, which is referred to as temporal abdominal closure (TAC). OA use remains widely debated with many specific details deserving detailed assessment and clarification. To date, in patients with intra-abdominal emergencies, the OA has not been formally endorsed for routine utilization; although, utilization is seemingly increasing. Therefore, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), Abdominal Compartment Society (WSACS) and the Donegal Research Academy united a worldwide group of experts in an international consensus conference to review and thereafter propose the basis for evidence-directed utilization of OA management in non-trauma emergency surgery and critically ill patients. In addition to utilization recommendations, questions with insufficient evidence urgently requiring future study were identified.Peer reviewe