EEG potentials associated with artificial grammar learning in the primate brain

AbstractElectroencephalography (EEG) has identified human brain potentials elicited by Artificial Grammar (AG) learning paradigms, which present participants with rule-based sequences of stimuli. Nonhuman animals are sensitive to certain AGs; therefore, evaluating which EEG Event Related Potentials (ERPs) are associated with AG learning in nonhuman animals could identify evolutionarily conserved processes. We recorded EEG potentials during an auditory AG learning experiment in two Rhesus macaques. The animals were first exposed to sequences of nonsense words generated by the AG. Then surface-based ERPs were recorded in response to sequences that were ‘consistent’ with the AG and ‘violation’ sequences containing illegal transitions. The AG violations strongly modulated an early component, potentially homologous to the Mismatch Negativity (mMMN), a P200 and a late frontal positivity (P500). The macaque P500 is similar in polarity and time of occurrence to a late EEG positivity reported in human AG learning studies but might differ in functional role

A multi-method and multi-scale approach for estimating city-wide anthropogenic heat fluxes

AbstractA multi-method approach estimating summer waste heat emissions from anthropogenic activities (QF) was applied for a major subtropical city (Phoenix, AZ). These included detailed, quality-controlled inventories of city-wide population density and traffic counts to estimate waste heat emissions from population and vehicular sources respectively, and also included waste heat simulations derived from urban electrical consumption generated by a coupled building energy – regional climate model (WRF-BEM + BEP). These component QF data were subsequently summed and mapped through Geographic Information Systems techniques to enable analysis over local (i.e. census-tract) and regional (i.e. metropolitan area) scales. Through this approach, local mean daily QF estimates compared reasonably versus (1.) observed daily surface energy balance residuals from an eddy covariance tower sited within a residential area and (2.) estimates from inventory methods employed in a prior study, with improved sensitivity to temperature and precipitation variations. Regional analysis indicates substantial variations in both mean and maximum daily QF, which varied with urban land use type. Average regional daily QF was ∼13 W m−2 for the summer period. Temporal analyses also indicated notable differences using this approach with previous estimates of QF in Phoenix over different land uses, with much larger peak fluxes averaging ∼50 W m−2 occurring in commercial or industrial areas during late summer afternoons. The spatio-temporal analysis of QF also suggests that it may influence the form and intensity of the Phoenix urban heat island, specifically through additional early evening heat input, and by modifying the urban boundary layer structure through increased turbulence

Intersection theory on Shimura surfaces

Kudla has proposed a general program to relate arithmetic intersection multiplicities of special cycles on Shimura varieties to Fourier coefficients of Eisenstein series. The lowest dimensional case, in which one intersects two codimension one cycles on the integral model of a Shimura curve, has been completed by Kudla-Rapoport-Yang. In the present paper we prove results in a higher dimensional setting. On the integral model of a Shimura surface we consider the intersection of a Shimura curve with a codimension two cycle of complex multiplication points, and relate the intersection to certain cycles classes constructed by Kudla-Rapoport-Yang. As a corollary we deduce that our intersection multiplicities appear as Fourier coefficients of a Hilbert modular form of half-integral weight

The Contribution of Medical Research Funding by Charities to the Scottish Economy

Third sector medical research plays an important role both in the Scottish economy and society. Medical research makes huge contributions to society through developing new treatments, improving existing ones and advancing technologies that can help save lives, such as vaccines that help to fight against infectious diseases like Covid-19.  Charities are major funders of medical research in Scotland. Medical research funding by charities has been estimated to be 46% of all third sector and public funding of medical research in Scotland, with active research funding of £122m in 2018. Without charities funding medical research and development in Scotland, the government and other public bodies would need to increase direct funding by 73%to make up for the shortfall.  Our findings in the accompanying report show that medical research funded by charities has grown since 2014 in Scotland, with a fall in funding in 2020 due to the pandemic

Holocene sea levels and palaeoenvironments, Malay-Thai Peninsula, southeast Asia

Sedimentological and palynological investigations of Great Songkhla Lakes, east coast of the Malay-Thai Peninsula, Southeast Asia, reveal sedimentary sequences rich in palynomorph assemblages dominated by pollen of mangroves and freshwater swamps. Compared with other regions in Southeast Asia the assemblages are of relatively low diversity. Geochronological data indicate that the Great Songkhla Lakes record one of the earliest mangrove environments in Southeast Asia (8420–8190 cal. yr BP), which are subsequently replaced by a freshwater swamp at 7880–7680 cal. yr BP owing to the decline of marine influence. Sea-level observations from Great Songkhla Lakes and other areas of the Malay-Thai Peninsula reveal an upward trend of Holocene relative sea level from a minimum of − 22 m at 9700–9250 cal. yr BP to a mid-Holocene high stand of 4850–4450 cal. yr BP, which equates to a rise of c. 5.5 mm/yr. The sea-level fall from the high stand is steady at c. − 1.1 mm/yr. Geophysical modelling shows that hydroisostasy contributes a significant spatial variation to the sea-level signal between some site locations (3–4 m during the mid-Holocene), indicating that it is not correct to construct a single relative sea-level history for the Malay-Thai Peninsula

The Economic Contribution of Colleges in Scotland

The report from the Fraser of Allander Institute shows that over their working life, college graduates boost employment, increase real wages and contribute to increased trade and investmen

The Economic Contribution of the Pharmaceuticals Sector in Northern Ireland

The pharmaceutical sector is critical to the life sciences ecosystem in Northern Ireland, and the economy as a whole. This is recognised in a wide range of government strategies including New Decade, New Approach, the Rebuilding a Stronger Economy recovery plan and in the wider economic vision for innovation, the 10X Economy Strategy, where Life and Health Sciences is identified as a priority cluster in Northern Ireland. As the Northern Ireland economy continues its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is now looking further ahead and implementing frameworks that aim to put Northern Ireland in a stronger position to withstand crises like the current one in the future. The report was commissioned in June 2021 by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Northern Ireland

The Contribution of Medical Research Funding by Charities to the Northern Ireland Economy

Third sector medical research plays an important role both in the Northern Ireland economy and society. Medical research makes huge contributions to society through developing new treatments, improving existing ones and advancing technologies that can help save lives such as vaccinations that can help fight against infectious diseases such as Covid-19. Charities are major funders of medical research in Northern Ireland. Medical research funding by charities has been estimated to be 35% of all third sector and public funding of medical research, with active research funding of £9m in 2018

The Contribution of Medical Research Funding by Charities to the UK Economy

Third sector medical research plays an important role both in the UK economy and in society.  Medical research makes huge contributions to society through developing new treatments, improving existing ones and advancing technologies that can help save lives such as vaccines that help to fight against infectious diseases such as Covid-19.  Charities are major funders of medical research in the UK. Medical research funding by charities has been estimated to be 14% of all public funding of medical research in the UK, providing £1.2bn in2018.  Without charity funding, the U KGovernment and public bodies would need to increase their direct funding1 of health-related research by 85% to cover the shortfall. Our findings in the accompanying report show that whilst medical research has grown substantially since 2014, medical research funding by charities fell in 2020