Tracking linguistic and attentional influences on preferential looking in infancy

textOne unresolved issue in early word learning research is the relationship between word learning, categorization, and attention. Two distinct cognitive processes, attentional preferences related to categorical processing and inter-modal matching are involved in this relationship. Keeping the effects of these processes separate and controlled can be a difficult task. Not doing so can potentially confound the interpretation of research in this area. In a series of four preferential looking studies, the effects of referential assignment and novelty seeking in infancy were teased apart. In Study 1, 13-month olds preferred to look toward a monitor on which the stimuli changed category on every trial, and away from a monitor on which the stimuli were drawn from a single category. This preference developed in conditions in which infants listened to labels, non-language sound, or participated in silence. In Study 2, 18-month-olds developed the same preference when listening to non-language sounds or when participating in silence, but developed no preference when listening to labels. Results of studies 3 and 4 suggest that the lack of preference by 18-month-olds in the label condition result from competing behaviors of novelty seeking and referential assignment.Psycholog

Speech Facilitates the Categorization of Motions in 9-Month-Old Infants

Two experiments were used to investigate the influence of both native and non-native speech on the categorization of a set of an object’s motions by 9-month-olds. In Experiment 1, infants were habituated to a set of three object motions and tested with familiar and novel motions. Results of Experiment 1 show that infants were more likely to categorize the motion stimuli if they listened to either the native or non-native speech during the categorization process than if they listened to music or heard nothing at all. Results of Experiment 2 show that discrimination of the motions was not impaired by the presence of the labeling phrases. These results are consistent with a number of findings that report a unique influence of labels on categorization of static objects in infancy and extend those findings to categorization of motions

Pan-Genomic Analysis of Clostridium botulinum Group II (Non-Proteolytic C. botulinum) Associated with Foodborne Botulism and Isolated from the Environment

The neurotoxin formed by Clostridium botulinum Group II is a major cause of foodborne botulism, a deadly intoxication. This study aims to understand the genetic diversity and spread of C. botulinum Group II strains and their neurotoxin genes. A comparative genomic study has been conducted with 208 highly diverse C. botulinum Group II strains (180 newly sequenced strains isolated from 16 countries over 80 years, 28 sequences from Genbank). Strains possessed a single type B, E, or F neurotoxin gene or were closely related strains with no neurotoxin gene. Botulinum neurotoxin subtype variants (including novel variants) with a unique amino acid sequence were identified. Core genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis identified two major lineages—one with type E strains, and the second dominated by subtype B4 strains with subtype F6 strains. This study revealed novel details of population structure/diversity and established relationships between whole-genome lineage, botulinum neurotoxin subtype variant, association with foodborne botulism, epidemiology, and geographical source. Additionally, the genome sequences represent a valuable resource for the research community (e.g., understanding evolution of C. botulinum and its neurotoxin genes, dissecting key aspects of C. botulinum Group II biology). This may contribute to improved risk assessments and the prevention of foodborne botulism

Diversity of the Genomes and Neurotoxins of Strains of Clostridium botulinum Group I and Clostridium sporogenes Associated with Foodborne, Infant and Wound Botulism.

Clostridium botulinum Group I and Clostridium sporogenes are closely related bacteria responsible for foodborne, infant and wound botulism. A comparative genomic study with 556 highly diverse strains of C. botulinum Group I and C. sporogenes (including 417 newly sequenced strains) has been carried out to characterise the genetic diversity and spread of these bacteria and their neurotoxin genes. Core genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis revealed two major lineages; C. botulinum Group I (most strains possessed botulinum neurotoxin gene(s) of types A, B and/or F) and C. sporogenes (some strains possessed a type B botulinum neurotoxin gene). Both lineages contained strains responsible for foodborne, infant and wound botulism. A new C. sporogenes cluster was identified that included five strains with a gene encoding botulinum neurotoxin sub-type B1. There was significant evidence of horizontal transfer of botulinum neurotoxin genes between distantly related bacteria. Population structure/diversity have been characterised, and novel associations discovered between whole genome lineage, botulinum neurotoxin sub-type variant, epidemiological links to foodborne, infant and wound botulism, and geographic origin. The impact of genomic and physiological variability on the botulism risk has been assessed. The genome sequences are a valuable resource for future research (e.g., pathogen biology, evolution of C. botulinum and its neurotoxin genes, improved pathogen detection and discrimination), and support enhanced risk assessments and the prevention of botulism

Apobec1 complementation factor overexpression promotes hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular cancer

The RNA-binding protein Apobec1 complementation factor (A1CF) regulates posttranscriptional ApoB mRNA editing, but the range of RNA targets and the long-term effect of altered A1CF expression on liver function are unknown. Here we studied hepatocyte-specific A1cf-transgenic (A1cf+/Tg), A1cf+/Tg Apobec1-/-, and A1cf-/- mice fed chow or high-fat/high-fructose diets using RNA-Seq, RNA CLIP-Seq, and tissue microarrays from human hepatocellular cancer (HCC). A1cf+/Tg mice exhibited increased hepatic proliferation and steatosis, with increased lipogenic gene expression (Mogat1, Mogat2, Cidea, Cd36) associated with shifts in polysomal RNA distribution. Aged A1cf+/Tg mice developed spontaneous fibrosis, dysplasia, and HCC, and this development was accelerated on a high-fat/high-fructose diet and was independent of Apobec1. RNA-Seq revealed increased expression of mRNAs involved in oxidative stress (Gstm3, Gpx3, Cbr3), inflammatory response (Il19, Cxcl14, Tnfα, Ly6c), extracellular matrix organization (Mmp2, Col1a1, Col4a1), and proliferation (Kif20a, Mcm2, Mcm4, Mcm6), and a subset of mRNAs (including Sox4, Sox9, Cdh1) were identified in RNA CLIP-Seq. Increased A1CF expression in human HCC correlated with advanced fibrosis and with reduced survival in a subset with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In conclusion, we show that hepatic A1CF overexpression selectively alters polysomal distribution and mRNA expression, promoting lipogenic, proliferative, and inflammatory pathways leading to HCC

MABEL photon-counting laser altimetry data in Alaska for ICESat-2 simulations and development

Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) is scheduled to launch in late 2017 and will carry the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) which is a photon-counting laser altimeter and represents a new approach to satellite determination of surface elevation. Given the new technology of ATLAS, an airborne instrument, the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), was developed to provide data needed for satellite-algorithm development and ICESat-2 error analysis. MABEL was deployed out of Fairbanks, Alaska, in July 2014 to provide a test dataset for algorithm development in summer conditions with water-saturated snow and ice surfaces. Here we compare MABEL lidar data to in situ observations in Southeast Alaska to assess instrument performance in summer conditions and in the presence of glacier surface melt ponds and a wet snowpack. Results indicate the following: (1) based on MABEL and in situ data comparisons, the ATLAS 90m beam-spacing strategy will provide a valid assessment of across-track slope that is consistent with shallow slopes (< 1) of an ice-sheet interior over 50 to 150m length scales; (2) the dense along-track sampling strategy of photon counting systems can provide crevasse detail; and (3) MABEL 532 nm wavelength light may sample both the surface and subsurface of shallow (approximately 2m deep) supraglacial melt ponds. The data associated with crevasses and melt ponds indicate the potential ICESat-2 will have for the study of mountain and other small glaciers.Acknowledgements. Funding for this project was through the NASA ICESat-2 Project Science Office. Funding for J. M. Amundson was provided by NSF-PLR 1303895. We acknowledge the considerable efforts of the Project, Science, and Instrument teams of NASA’s ICESat-2 and MABEL missions. We thank the following people: Eugenia De Marco (ASRC Aerospace Corp., NASA/GSFC) and Dan Reed (Sigma Space Corp., NASA/GSFC) for MABEL instrument support; Scott Luthcke (NASA/GSFC), David Hancock (NASA/WFF), and Jeff Lee (NASA/WFF) for MABEL data calibration; Scott McGee and Ya’ Shonti Bridgers (JIRP) for GPS field data collection and data processing support; and NASA/AFRC (specifically ER-2 pilots Tim Williams and Denis Steele) for Alaska airborne support. WorldView imagery was provided by the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota, which is supported by NSF-PLR 1043681. GPS receivers for the survey of the terminus of the Lower Taku Glacier were provided by UNAVCO. GPS receivers for the JIRP survey were provided by Werner Stempfhuber of the Beuth University of Applied Sciences. And, finally, we thank two anonymous reviewers for their highly constructive suggestions.Ye

A sub-Neptune sized planet transiting the M2.5-dwarf G 9-40: Validation with the Habitable-zone Planet Finder

We validate the discovery of a 2 Earth radii sub-Neptune-size planet around the nearby high proper motion M2.5-dwarf G 9-40 (EPIC 212048748), using high-precision near-infrared (NIR) radial velocity (RV) observations with the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF), precision diffuser-assisted ground-based photometry with a custom narrow-band photometric filter, and adaptive optics imaging. At a distance of $d=27.9\mathrm{pc}$, G 9-40b is the second closest transiting planet discovered by K2 to date. The planet's large transit depth ($\sim$3500ppm), combined with the proximity and brightness of the host star at NIR wavelengths (J=10, K=9.2) makes G 9-40b one of the most favorable sub-Neptune-sized planet orbiting an M-dwarf for transmission spectroscopy with JWST, ARIEL, and the upcoming Extremely Large Telescopes. The star is relatively inactive with a rotation period of $\sim$29 days determined from the K2 photometry. To estimate spectroscopic stellar parameters, we describe our implementation of an empirical spectral matching algorithm using the high-resolution NIR HPF spectra. Using this algorithm, we obtain an effective temperature of $T_{\mathrm{eff}}=3404\pm73$K, and metallicity of $\mathrm{[Fe/H]}=-0.08\pm0.13$. Our RVs, when coupled with the orbital parameters derived from the transit photometry, exclude planet masses above $11.7 M_\oplus$ with 99.7% confidence assuming a circular orbit. From its radius, we predict a mass of $M=5.0^{+3.8}_{-1.9} M_\oplus$ and an RV semi-amplitude of $K=4.1^{+3.1}_{-1.6}\mathrm{m\:s^{-1}}$, making its mass measurable with current RV facilities. We urge further RV follow-up observations to precisely measure its mass, to enable precise transmission spectroscopic measurements in the future.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ, 22 pages, 15 figure

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements