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Behavioral flexibility, the ability to change behavior when circumstances change based on learning from previous experience, is thought to play an important role in a species ability to successfully adapt to new environments and expand its geographic range. It is alternatively or additionally possible that causal cognition, the ability to understand relationships beyond their statistical covariations, could play a significant role in rapid range expansions via the ability to learn faster: causal cognition could lead to making better predictions about outcomes through exerting more control over events. We aim to determine whether great-tailed grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus), a species that is rapidly expanding its geographic range, use causal inference and whether this ability relates to their behavioral flexibility (flexibility measured in these individuals by Logan et al. (2019): reversal learning of a color discrimination and solution switching on a puzzle box). Causal cognition was measured using a touchscreen where individuals learned about the relationships between a star, a tone, a clicking noise, and food. They were then tested on their expectations about which of these causes the food to become available. We found that eight grackles showed no evidence of making causal inferences when given the opportunity to intervene on observed events using a touchscreen apparatus, and that performance on the causal cognition task did not correlate with behavioral flexibility measures. This could indicate that our test was inadequate to assess causal cognition. Because of this, we are unable to speculate about the potential role of causal cognition in a species that is rapidly expanding its geographic range. We suggest further exploration of this hypothesis using larger sample sizes and multiple test paradigms.

Recent 2D hydrothermal modeling efforts published by Pepin et al. (2015) suggest that the low-temperature (~41°C) geothermal system in Truth or Consequences, NM is characterized by deep (2-8 km) groundwater circulation within permeable (10-12 m²) fractured crystalline rocks. Their models were constrained by geochemistry, temperature, flow velocity, and carbon-14 data but lack calibration to aquifer test data. On June 13, 2015, we conducted an aquifer test in a newly drilled 73-meter deep geothermal well within the town's hot-springs district. The production interval of this well is 24 meters long and is within fractured Precambrian metamorphic rocks. We installed pressure transducers in the production well and in two observation wells to monitor water levels during the test. The production rate averaged 1.8 x 10-2 m³/s (283 gpm) and the two observation wells were located 20 and 38 meters away from the production well, respectively. The two observation wells were shallower and completed in Quaternary alluvium. Production well water levels oscillated during the first two minutes of the aquifer test due to inertial effects. Net drawdown in the production well after 97 minutes of pumping was approximately 0.6 meters, while minimal drawdown was evidenced in the observation wells. Applying the Cooper-Jacob model provided a transmissivity estimate of 1.1 x 104 m²/day and thereby a permeability range of 5 x 10-10 to 2 x 10-12 m². These results are further evidence that the crystalline basement rocks within the Rio Grande Rift can be remarkably permeable when significantly fractured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Limited normative reference data are available for validated outcomes of flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). We aimed to examine healthy swallowing via FEES in community-dwelling healthy adults to derive a preliminary reference dataset of normative validated FEES outcomes to guide clinical interpretation and diagnostic decision-making., Methods: Adults with no history of dysphagia-related disease underwent simultaneous videofluoroscopy and FEES imaging using a standardized 11-item bolus protocol. Trained raters performed duplicate, independent, blinded ratings of the New Zealand Secretion Scale (NZSS), Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), and Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity-FEES (DIGEST-FEES) validated scales. Descriptive statistics were performed at the bolus (PAS) and participant level (NZSS, DIGEST-FEES)., Results: 361 swallows from 33 community-dwelling adults (36.6 ± 14.7 years old) were analyzed. In rank order, distribution profiles were: (1) NZSS: 95% normal (NZSS = 0), 5% abnormal (NZSS = 4); (2) Worst PAS: 73% safe (PAS 1-2, n = 24), 21% penetration above the true vocal folds (PAS 3, n = 7), 6% deep penetration to the true vocal folds (PAS = 5, n = 2); (3) DIGEST-FEES Safety Grades: 91% Grade 0 (normal, n = 30), 9% Grade 1 (mild impairment, n = 3); (4) DIGEST-FEES Efficiency Grades: 73% Grade 0 (normal, n = 24), 24% Grade 1 (mild impairment, n = 8), 3% Grade 2 (moderate impairment, n = 1)., Conclusion: This preliminary healthy FEES dataset highlights variation in swallowing safety and efficiency and suggests careful interpretation of FEES outcomes to avoid over-pathologizing impairment. Future studies are warranted to obtain additional normative data in diverse populations to further understand normal variation in FEES outcomes to guide clinically meaningful diagnostic cut-points., Level of Evidence: Level 3 Laryngoscope, 2024., (© 2024 The Author(s). The Laryngoscope published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) presents perioperative challenges with increased risk for complications. Floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) is associated with OSA yet has not been addressed perioperatively. The current standard for perioperative OSA screening includes assessing patient risk factors or the STOP-BANG tool, which requires an active participant. We aimed to confirm a connection between FES and OSA in presurgical patients and develop a screening method appropriate for patients with perioperative OSA risk., Materials and Methods: 162 presurgical pre-anesthesia clinic patients were enrolled. Screening questions determined eligibility. Those who were pregnant or aged < 19 were excluded. Control group included those with a STOP-BANG score < 3. Experimental group included those with BMI > 35 and OSA diagnosis. Examiners photographed participants' eyes with vertical and horizontal retraction while two blinded ophthalmologists used a grading scale to review grade of eyelid laxity., Results: Differences in habitus, ASA score, and hypertension as a comorbidity were significant. Sensitivity of FES screening was 52% (CI 37-66%) and specificity was 56% (CI 46-66%) for reviewer 1. For reviewer 2, sensitivity was 48% (CI 28-69%) and specificity was 72% (CI 60-81%). Negative predictive value was 86% (CI 81-90) for reviewer 1 and 88% (CI 83-92%) for reviewer 2. Inter-rater agreement was moderate., Conclusion: While specificity and sensitivity were lower than anticipated, negative predictive value was high. Given this strong negative predictive value, our findings indicate using eyelid retraction to screen for FES has perioperative clinical utility. These findings encourage further research addressing the connection of lid laxity/FES to OSA., Key Points: • Aimed to investigate if a FES screening tool could identify perioperative OSA risk. • Negative predictive value for FES with OSA was 86%. • Observing periocular lid laxity has clinical utility; is feasible in any patient., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Studying the molecular basis of familial renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has allowed identification of novel RCC genes involved in the pathogenesis of both inherited and sporadic RCC. We describe a constitutional balanced t(3;8)(p14;q24.1) translocation found in a brother and sister with bilateral clear cell RCC (CC-RCC) diagnosed in their forties. Consistent with a prior report, we demonstrated by RT-PCR of RNA from lymphoblastoid cells fusion mRNAs derived from the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) at 3p14 and TRC8 at 8q24.1 in both affected siblings. Cytogenetic analysis of a CC-RCC tumor from the affected sister from short-term tumor cell culture showed both diploid and pseudotetraploid populations containing the translocation and normal appearing chromosomes 3 and 8. Fluorescent in situ hybridization using bacterial artificial chromosomes containing sequences from the FHIT and TRC8 genes demonstrated normal FHIT signals and TRC8 signals on nontranslocated chromosomes in the constitutional blood sample, but the TRC8 signal was absent in a subset of diploid and pseudotetraploid cells from the tumor. The tumor also contained a heterozygous VHL frameshift somatic mutation. These results confirm that balanced translocations disrupting the TRC8 and FHIT genes result in an increased genetic susceptibility for bilateral CC-RCC. The presence of diploid and tetraploid tumor cells with and without TRC8 deletions on the nontranslocated chromosome suggest that loss of the remaining normal allele of TRC8 may contribute to tumor development at later stages., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)