Yes, it was noted in my first post here.....Or did it occur to anyone that removal was a cost savings, and the ADBV wasn't needed?????
As for endcap type, as long as the pleat ends are sealed, clean from dirty side, any type can work. That said, doesn't mean one can't have a preference for one type of construction versus another.
What I'd be curious about would be the efficiency of the Mazda OEMs. "If" like other Asian OEMs, being very kind, nothing special.