The role of prediction in social neuroscience

Research has shown that the brain is constantly making predictions about future events. Theories of prediction in perception, action and learning suggest that the brain serves to reduce the discrepancies between expectation and actual experience, i.e., by reducing the prediction error. Forward models of action and perception propose the generation of a predictive internal representation of the expected sensory outcome, which is matched to the actual sensory feedback. Shared neural representations have been found when experiencing one's own and observing other's actions, rewards, errors, and emotions such as fear and pain. These general principles of the “predictive brain” are well established and have already begun to be applied to social aspects of cognition. The application and relevance of these predictive principles to social cognition are discussed in this article. Evidence is presented to argue that simple non-social cognitive processes can be extended to explain complex cognitive processes required for social interaction, with common neural activity seen for both social and non-social cognitions. A number of studies are included which demonstrate that bottom-up sensory input and top-down expectancies can be modulated by social information. The concept of competing social forward models and a partially distinct category of social prediction errors are introduced. The evolutionary implications of a “social predictive brain” are also mentioned, along with the implications on psychopathology. The review presents a number of testable hypotheses and novel comparisons that aim to stimulate further discussion and integration between currently disparate fields of research, with regard to computational models, behavioral and neurophysiological data. This promotes a relatively new platform for inquiry in social neuroscience with implications in social learning, theory of mind, empathy, the evolution of the social brain, and potential strategies for treating social cognitive deficits

The Case for a Learning Space Performance Rating System

Learning spaces are mission-critical for colleges and universities. Yet institutions lack a commonly accepted set of standards for learning spaces, lack a way to measure space performance through a third-party certification, and lack a  substantive way to compare their spaces to peer and aspirant institutions. Inspired by the success of environmental building rating systems like LEED, this paper makes the case for a Learning Space Performance Rating System and describes the development of such as system – currently in its early stages – so as to enlist broader interest and support in the initiative

The height of a white-light flare and its hard X-ray sources

We describe observations of a white-light flare (SOL2011-02-24T07:35:00, M3.5) close to the limb of the Sun, from which we obtain estimates of the heights of the optical continuum sources and those of the associated hard X-ray sources.For this purpose we use hard X-ray images from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), and optical images at 6173 \AA from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We find that the centroids of the impulsive-phase emissions in white light and hard X-rays (30-80 keV) match closely in central distance (angular displacement from Sun center), within uncertainties of order 0.2". This directly implies a common source height for these radiations, strengthening the connection between visible flare continuum formation and the accelerated electrons. We also estimate the absolute heights of these emissions, as vertical distances from Sun center. Such a direct estimation has not been done previously, to our knowledge. Using a simultaneous 195 \AA image from the Solar-Terrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO-B) spacecraft to identify the heliographic coordinates of the flare footpoints, we determine mean heights above the photosphere (as normally defined; \tau = 1 at 5000 \AA) of 305 \pm 170 km and 195 \pm 70 km, respectively, for the centroids of the hard X-ray (HXR) and white light (WL) footpoint sources of the flare. These heights are unexpectedly low in the atmosphere, and are consistent with the expected locations of \tau = 1 for the 6173 \AA and the ~40 keV photons observed, respectively.Comment: Accepted in ApJ Letters, 8 pages, 4 figure

The role of phosphorylation in the control of Ras activity and localisation in S. cerevisiae

Ras proteins are small GTPases that act as molecular switches within cells that link extracellular stimuli to intracellular effectors. Ras proteins play a conserved role in the control of both cell growth and proliferation. As a result, mutations that induce the constitutive activation of Ras proteins are often associated with changes in cell behaviour that can lead to disease, such as human cancer. The localisation of Ras is crucial for its function and this is controlled by post-translational modifications. However, the roles for such modifications in regulating Ras localisation and its activity are poorly understood. We have identified that the phosphorylation of Serine225 of Ras2, a protein that is essential for the control of both growth and proliferation in S. cerevisiae, plays an important role in the regulation of its localisation and activity. Modification of this residue leads to changes in the distribution of GTP-bound Ras2 within the cell. This drives cells towards a novel state of growth cessation that is dependent upon the activity of the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway. We show that this quiescent state is characterised by an uncoupling of cytoplasmic and nuclear process that govern cell growth and division. We suggest that cells can escape growth arrest and re-engage in the cell cycle if the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway activity is reduced, additional nutritional supplementation is provided or if nutrient uptake processes are elevated. Thus, the Serine225 reside plays an important role in the control of Ras2 localisation and activity that allows the cell to co-ordinate nutritional availability with growth and cell division. My thesis highlights that post-translational modifications in regions outside of the highly conserved Ras GTPase domain may be targeted to change cell fate, for example by switching a pro-growth signalling programme to one that drives a growth cessation. This has implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for cancers driven by oncogenic Ras proteins

South Bridge Project

[Excerpt] Care Study- The Jean DuSable Company is facing a decision regarding the development options for the final parcels within the South Bridge Redevelopment Project, a large mixed-use development in the North Michigan Avenue sub-market of Chicago\u27s central business district Designed as a showplace for international leaders in retail, entertainment and hospitality, the South Bridge Redevelopment Project contains approximately 898,000 square foot of retail and entertainment space, 1.2 million square feet of office space, 2,300 hotel rooms and 2,500 parking spaces, spanning a nine-block area fronting Michigan Avenue and extending west to State Street

The effects of peer influence on adolescent pedestrian road-crossing decisions

Objective: Adolescence is a high-risk period for pedestrian injury. It is also a time of heightened susceptibility to peer influence. The aim of this research was to examine the effects of peer influence on the pedestrian road-crossing decisions of adolescents. Methods: Using 10 videos of road-crossing sites, 80 16- to 18-year-olds were asked to make pedestrian road-crossing decisions. Participants were assigned to one of 4 experimental conditions: negative peer (influencing unsafe decisions), positive peer (influencing cautious decisions), silent peer (who observed but did not comment), and no peer (the participant completed the task alone). Peers from the adolescent’s own friendship group were recruited to influence either an unsafe or a cautious decision. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between peer conditions. Participants least often identified safe road-crossing sites when accompanied by a negative peer and more frequently identified dangerous road-crossing sites when accompanied by a positive peer. Both cautious and unsafe comments from a peer influenced adolescent pedestrians’ decisions. Conclusions: These findings showed that road-crossing decisions of adolescents were influenced by both unsafe and cautious comments from their peers. The discussion highlighted the role that peers can play in both increasing and reducing adolescent risk-taking

Involving citizens in priority setting for public health research: Implementation in infection research

Background Public sources fund the majority of UK infection research, but citizens currently have no formal role in resource allocation. To explore the feasibility and willingness of citizens to engage in strategic decision making, we developed and tested a practical tool to capture public priorities for research. Method A scenario including six infection themes for funding was developed to assess citizen priorities for research funding. This was tested over two days at a university public festival. Votes were cast anonymously along with rationale for selection. The scenario was then implemented during a three-hour focus group exploring views on engagement in strategic decisions and in-depth evaluation of the tool. Results 188/491(38%) prioritized funding research into drug-resistant infections followed by emerging infections(18%). Results were similar between both days. Focus groups contained a total of 20 citizens with an equal gender split, range of ethnicities and ages ranging from 18 to >70 years. The tool was perceived as clear with participants able to make informed comparisons. Rationale for funding choices provided by voters and focus group participants are grouped into three major themes: (i) Information processing; (ii) Knowledge of the problem; (iii) Responsibility; and a unique theme within the focus groups (iv) The potential role of citizens in decision making. Divergent perceptions of relevance and confidence of “non-experts” as decision makers were expressed. Conclusion Voting scenarios can be used to collect, en-masse, citizens' choices and rationale for research priorities. Ensuring adequate levels of citizen information and confidence is important to allow deployment in other formats

The Warped Plane of the Classical Kuiper Belt

By numerically integrating the orbits of the giant planets and of test particles over a period of four billion years, we follow the evolution of the location of the midplane of the Kuiper belt. The Classical Kuiper belt conforms to a warped sheet that precesses with a 1.9 Myr period. The present-day location of the Kuiper belt plane can be computed using linear secular perturbation theory: the local normal to the plane is given by the theory's forced inclination vector, which is specific to every semimajor axis. The Kuiper belt plane does not coincide with the invariable plane, but deviates from it by up to a few degrees in stable zones. For example, at a semimajor axis of 38 AU, the local Kuiper belt plane has an inclination of 1.9 deg and a longitude of ascending node of 149.9 deg when referred to the mean ecliptic and equinox of J2000. At a semimajor axis of 43 AU, the local plane has an inclination of 1.9 deg and a nodal longitude of 78.3 deg. Only at infinite semimajor axis does the Kuiper belt plane merge with the invariable plane, whose inclination is 1.6 deg and nodal longitude is 107.7 deg. A Kuiper belt object keeps its inclination relative to the Kuiper belt plane nearly constant, even while the latter plane departs from the trajectory predicted by linear theory. The constancy of relative inclination reflects the undamped amplitude of free oscillation. Current observations of Classical Kuiper belt objects are consistent with the plane being warped by the giant planets alone, but the sample size will need to increase by a few times before confirmation exceeds 3-sigma in confidence. In principle, differences between the theoretically expected plane and the observed plane could be used to infer as yet unseen masses orbiting the Sun, but carrying out such a program would be challenging.Comment: Astronomical Journal, in press. This version contains more details in the abstract and minor proof correction