Effects of point-count duration on estimated detection probabilities and occupancy of breeding birds

Increasingly, point-count data are used to estimate occupancy, the probability that a species is present at a given location; occupancy accounts for imperfect detection, the probability that a species is detected given that it is present. To our knowledge, effects of sampling duration on inferences from models of bird occupancy have not been evaluated. Our objective was to determine whether changing count duration from 5 to 8min affected inferences about the occupancy of birds sampled in the Chesapeake Bay Lowlands (eastern United States) and the central and western Great Basin (western United States) in 2012 and 2013. We examined the proportion of species (two doves, one cuckoo, two swifts, five hummingbirds, 11 woodpeckers, and 122 passerines) for which estimates of detection probability were 0.3. For species with single-season detection probabilities 0.3, we compared occupancy estimates derived from 5- and 8-min counts. We also compared estimates for three species sampled annually for 5yr in the central Great Basin. Detection probabilities based on both the 5- and 8-min counts were 0.3 for 40% 3% of the species in an ecosystem. Extending the count duration from 5 to 8min increased the detection probability to 0.3 for 5% +/- 0.5% of the species. We found no difference in occupancy estimates that were based on 5- versus 8-min counts for species sampled over two or five consecutive years. However, for 97% of species sampled over 2yr, precision of occupancy estimates that were based on 8-min counts averaged 12% +/- 2% higher than those based on 5-min counts. We suggest that it may be worthwhile to conduct a pilot season to determine the number of locations and surveys needed to achieve detection probabilities that are sufficiently high to estimate occupancy for species of interest

Cultural variations in the relationship between anger coping styles, depression and life satisfaction

Hypotheses are tested that ways of handling anger and their consequences will differ in student samples drawn from dignity cultures (UK and Finland), honor cultures (Turkey and Pakistan) and face cultures (Hong Kong and China). In line with our hypotheses, holding anger in and controlling anger correlate positively in face cultures but not in other samples, whereas holding anger in and letting anger out correlate positively in honor cultures but not in other samples. Furthermore, holding anger in and letting anger out are more strongly predictive of high depression and low life satisfaction in honor cultures than in other samples. The results provide support for the cross-cultural validity of Spielberger's (1999) anger expression inventory and for the proposition that differences in ways of handling anger can be understood in terms of contrasting cultural contexts

Clinical Utility and Analysis of the Run-Roll-Aim Task: Informing Return-to-Duty Readiness Decisions in Active-Duty Service Members

Introduction The Assessment of Military Multitasking Performance (AMMP1) consists of six dual-task and multitask military-relevant performance-based assessments which were developed to provide assistance in making return-to-duty decisions after concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI.) The Run-Roll-Aim (RRA) task, one component of the AMMP, was developed to target vulnerabilities following mTBI including attention, visual function, dynamic stability, rapid transition, and vestibular function. One aim of this study was to assess the known-group and construct validity of the RRA, and additionally to further explore reliability limitations reported previously. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study consisting of 84 Active Duty service members in two groups (healthy control – HC and individuals experiencing persistent mTBI symptoms) completed neurocognitive tests and the RRA. The RRA task requires a high level of mobility and resembles military training activities in a maneuver that includes combat rolls, fast transitions, obstacle avoidance, and visual search. Observational and inertial sensor data were compared between groups and performance across four trial times was compared within groups. Correlations between RRA results and neurocognitive test scores were analyzed. Results Simple observational measures (time, errors) did not differ between groups. Spectral power analysis of the inertial sensor data showed significant differences in motor performance between groups. Within group one-way ANOVAs showed that in HC trial 1, time was significantly different than trials 2,3 and 4 (F(3,47) = 4.60, p < 0.01, Tukey HSD p < 0.05) while the mTBI group showed no significant difference in time between trials. During testing individuals with mTBI were less likely to complete the multiple test trials or required additional rest between trials than HCs (χ2 = 10.78, p < 0.01). Small but significant correlations were seen with two neurocognitive tests of attention and RRA performance time. Conclusion While observational scores were not sensitive to group differences, inertial sensor data showed motor performance on the forward run, combat roll, and backward run differed significantly between groups. The RRA task appeared challenging and provoked symptoms in the mTBI group, causing 8 of 33 mTBI participants to stop the task or require additional rest between trials while none of the HC participants had to stop. Individuals with mTBI demonstrated slower learning of the complex motor sequence compared to HCs who had significant improvement after one trial of RRA. Complex novel training maneuvers like RRA may aid clinicians in informing return to duty decisions

Coherent quantum LQG control

Based on a recently developed notion of physical realizability for quantum linear stochastic systems, we formulate a quantum LQG optimal control problem for quantum linear stochastic systems where the controller itself may also be a quantum system and the plant output signal can be fully quantum. Such a control scheme is often referred to in the quantum control literature as "coherent feedback control.'' It distinguishes the present work from previous works on the quantum LQG problem where measurement is performed on the plant and the measurement signals are used as input to a fully classical controller with no quantum degrees of freedom. The difference in our formulation is the presence of additional non-linear and linear constraints on the coefficients of the sought after controller, rendering the problem as a type of constrained controller design problem. Due to the presence of these constraints our problem is inherently computationally hard and this also distinguishes it in an important way from the standard LQG problem. We propose a numerical procedure for solving this problem based on an alternating projections algorithm and, as initial demonstration of the feasibility of this approach, we provide fully quantum controller design examples in which numerical solutions to the problem were successfully obtained. For comparison, we also consider the case of classical linear controllers that use direct or indirect measurements, and show that there exists a fully quantum linear controller which offers an improvement in performance over the classical ones.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure, revised and corrected version (mainly to Section 8). To be published in Automatica, Journal of IFAC, 200

Affective theory of mind inferences contextually influence the recognition of emotional facial expressions

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Cognition and Emotion on 14-3-18, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2018.1450224The recognition of emotional facial expressions is often subject to contextual influence, particularly when the face and the context convey similar emotions. We investigated whether spontaneous, incidental affective theory of mind inferences made while reading vignettes describing social situations would produce context effects on the identification of same-valenced emotions (Experiment 1) as well as differently-valenced emotions (Experiment 2) conveyed by subsequently presented faces. Crucially, we found an effect of context on reaction times in both experiments while, in line with previous work, we found evidence for a context effect on accuracy only in Experiment 1. This demonstrates that affective theory of mind inferences made at the pragmatic level of a text can automatically, contextually influence the perceptual processing of emotional facial expressions in a separate task even when those emotions are of a distinctive valence. Thus, our novel findings suggest that language acts as a contextual influence to the recognition of emotional facial expressions for both same and different valences

Measuring Soldier Performance During the Patrol-Exertion Multitask: Preliminary Validation of a Postconcussive Functional Return-to-Duty Metric

Objective: To assess the discriminant validity of the Patrol-Exertion Multitask (PEMT), a novel, multidomain, functional return-to-duty clinical assessment for active duty military personnel

Towards a comprehensive structural variation map of an individual human genome

A comprehensive map of structural variation in the human genome provides a reference dataset for analyses of future personal genomes

Development and Preliminary Reliability of a Multitasking Assessment for Executive Functioning After Concussion

OBJECTIVES. Executive functioning deficits may result from concussion. The Charge of Quarters (CQ) Duty Task is a multitask assessment designed to assess executive functioning in servicemembers after concussion. In this article, we discuss the rationale and process used in the development of the CQ Duty Task and present pilot data from the preliminary evaluation of interrater reliability (IRR)

Uncovering obsessive-compulsive disorder risk genes in a pediatric cohort by high-resolution analysis of copy number variation

Abstract Background Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous neuropsychiatric condition, thought to have a significant genetic component. When onset occurs in childhood, affected individuals generally exhibit different characteristics from adult-onset OCD, including higher prevalence in males and increased heritability. Since neuropsychiatric conditions are associated with copy number variations (CNVs), we considered their potential role in the etiology of OCD. Methods We genotyped 307 unrelated pediatric probands with idiopathic OCD (including 174 that were part of complete parent-child trios) and compared their genotypes with those of 3861 population controls, to identify rare CNVs (<0.5 % frequency) of at least 15 kb in size that might contribute to OCD. Results We uncovered de novo CNVs in 4/174 probands (2.3 %). Our case cohort was enriched for CNVs in genes that encode targets of the fragile X mental retardation protein (nominal p = 1.85 × 10−03; FDR=0.09), similar to previous findings in autism and schizophrenia. These results also identified deletions or duplications of exons in genes involved in neuronal migration (ASTN2), synapse formation (NLGN1 and PTPRD), and postsynaptic scaffolding (DLGAP1 and DLGAP2), which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of OCD. Four cases had CNVs involving known genomic disorder loci (1q21.1-21.2, 15q11.2-q13.1, 16p13.11, and 17p12). Further, we identified BTBD9 as a candidate gene for OCD. We also sequenced exomes of ten “CNV positive” trios and identified in one an additional plausibly relevant mutation: a 13 bp exonic deletion in DRD4. Conclusions Our findings suggest that rare CNVs may contribute to the etiology of OCD.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134675/1/11689_2016_Article_9170.pd

Toward Return to Duty Decision-Making After Military Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Preliminary Validation of the Charge of Quarters Duty Test

Determining duty-readiness after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains a priority of the United States Department of Defense as warfighters in both deployed and non-deployed settings continue to sustain these injuries in relatively large numbers. Warfighters with mTBI may experience unresolved sensorimotor, emotional, cognitive sequelae including problems with executive functions, a category of higher order cognitive processes that enable people to regulate goal-directed behavior. Persistent mTBI sequelae interfere with warfighters’ proficiency in performing military duties and signal the need for graded return to activity and possibly rehabilitative services. Although significant strides have been carried out in recent years to enhance the identification and management of mTBI in garrison (EXORD 165–13) and deployed settings (EXORD 242–11; DoDI 6,490.11), the Department of Defense still lacks reliable, valid, and clinically feasible functional assessments to help inform duty-readiness decisions. Traditional functional assessments lack face validity for warfighters and may have ceiling effects, especially as related to executive functions. Performance-based multitasking assessments have been shown to be sensitive to executive dysfunction after acquired brain injury but no multitasking assessments have been validated in adults with mTBI. Existing multitasking assessments are not ecologically valid relative to military contexts. A multidisciplinary military–civilian team of researchers developed and evaluated a performance-based assessment called the Assessment of Military Multitasking Performance. One of the Assessment of Military Multitasking Performance multitasks, the Charge of Quarters Duty Test (CQDT), was designed to challenge the divided attention, foresight, and planning dimensions of executive functions. Here, we report on the preliminary validation results of the CQDT