Neural signature of fictive learning signals in a sequential investment task

Reinforcement learning models now provide principled guides for a wide range of reward learning experiments in animals and humans. One key learning (error) signal in these models is experiential and reports ongoing temporal differences between expected and experienced reward. However, these same abstract learning models also accommodate the existence of another class of learning signal that takes the form of a fictive error encoding ongoing differences between experienced returns and returns that "could-have-been-experienced" if decisions had been different. These observations suggest the hypothesis that, for all real-world learning tasks, one should expect the presence of both experiential and fictive learning signals. Motivated by this possibility, we used a sequential investment game and fMRI to probe ongoing brain responses to both experiential and fictive learning signals generated throughout the game. Using a large cohort of subjects (n = 54), we report that fictive learning signals strongly predict changes in subjects' investment behavior and correlate with fMRI signals measured in dopaminoceptive structures known to be involved in valuation and choice

A New Model of Sovereignty in the Contemporary Era of Integrated Global Commerce

Existing legal scholarship does not offer an effective or comprehensive definition of sovereignty. Sovereignty, however, matters. Indeed, many have lived and died for it; the term likewise appears with remarkable frequency in both academic and popular discourse. But, sovereignty is not what it used to be. The evolution of globalization generally, and transformations in global commerce specifically, have sutured together the peoples of the world-conventional nation-states and Indigenous groups alike--permanently altering the sovereignty of each. These developments make it that much more imperative to incorporate a functional definition of sovereignty into legal scholarship. But, given the complexities of sovereignty, the tools of law alone are insufficient to generate such a definition. Here anthropology provides a unique and powerful insight to supplement those shortcomings. An evidence-based model through the collaborative lenses of law and anthropology shows that sovereignty and culture have become fused in a mechanism driven by the regulation of cross-border capital. This model empowers the policy makers of conventional states and Indigenous groups to more explicitly, efficiently, and effectively integrate different forms of value--both economic and social

Smart thermostat

The current thermostat marketplace is dominated by programmable thermostats that are engineered to give the user as much control as possible. However, not all users program these thermostats optimally. Some prefer comfort over energy efficiency and will heat an empty house. Others do not care to program their thermostat and leave it at a set temperature. The Smart Thermostat that we have created is engineered to optimize the temperature for the user, using the common sense of the engineer to lower energy consumption. It uses a Raspberry Pi as a platform to implement a fuzzy logic control System. By removing the extensive control of the thermostat from the user we are able to create a more energy efficient product that also maintains the comfort level of the occupants

Bridging the Gap: Improving Data Services through Cross-Campus Collaboration

Objective: New York University (NYU) Libraries provide research data services to diverse communities across several campuses. Until recently, they have worked mostly independent of each other. At the main campus, NYU Data Services offers workshops, individual and group consultations, and traveling “road shows” on data management to the larger NYU community. At a separate medical center campus, the NYU Health Sciences Library (NYUHSL) supports a data catalog, data management education, and individualized lab support. Finally, Databrary, which is connected to NYU’s Digital Library Technology Services, provides a repository for behavioral and learning science researchers working primarily with video data to store, manage, and share the raw materials of their work with their colleagues. This poster will discuss how these disparate services have worked more closely together by identifying overlap, making connections between service offerings, and sharing knowledge and resources around data. This initiative better enriches the overall mission and strategy of NYU libraries to serve its student and research communities. Methods: To ensure the better coordination of these data services, we began to hold regular, bi-monthly meetings to discuss strategies for improving data education material, integrating an institutional data catalog created by NYUHSL with main campus systems, and providing data-related outreach to institutional stakeholders. These groups have also collaborated on planning and hosting events on data-related topics including using Databrary, reproducibility in science, and data visualization. Finally, a resource sharing system was instituted across campuses for library faculty to collaborate and improve upon the instructional design of data management education, create outreach materials, and share ongoing project documentation. Results: The new collaboration between NYU Data Services, NYUHSL and special projects like Databrary has served to break down existing institutional silos to provide better research and educational data services to NYU’s student and research communities. This collaboration has been essential for improving upon existing services, identifying new opportunities to support the data needs of institutional stakeholders, and providing increased levels of outreach. By fostering a better understanding of what data services are available across campuses through this ongoing collaboration, we are better able to identify and support our communities’ data needs. Conclusion: Providing data management, curation, and storage services for a diverse and dynamic research community on campus is a demanding task that requires a distributed effort. Each service fills different gaps for researchers at varying stages of their research practices, though without inter-department communication there was decidedly less impact and reach by everyone. By collaborating and opening a line of communication, we have built a better understanding of how we can interact to provide stronger support to the student and research communities across campuses

Aryl Phosphoramidates of 5-Phospho Erythronohydroxamic Acid, A New Class of Potent Trypanocidal Compounds

RNAi and enzymatic studies have shown the importance of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) in Trypanosoma brucei for the parasite survival and make it an attractive drug target for the development of new treatments against human African trypanosomiasis. 2,3-O-Isopropylidene-4-erythrono hydroxamate is a potent inhibitor of parasite Trypanosoma brucei 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH), the third enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway. However, this compound does not have trypanocidal activity due to its poor membrane permeability. Consequently, we have previously reported a prodrug approach to improve the antiparasitic activity of this inhibitor by converting the phosphate group into a less charged phosphate prodrug. The activity of prodrugs appeared to be dependent on their stability in phosphate buffer. Here we have successfully further extended the development of the aryl phosphoramidate prodrugs of 2,3-O-isopropylidene-4-erythrono hydroxamate by synthesizing a small library of phosphoramidates and evaluating their biological activity and stability in a variety of assays. Some of the compounds showed high trypanocidal activity and good correlation of activity with their stability in fresh mouse blood

Polyadenylation regulates the stability of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial RNAs

Polyadenylation of RNAs plays a critical role in modulating rates of RNA turnover and ultimately in controlling gene expression in all systems examined to date. In mitochondria, the precise mechanisms by which RNAs are degraded, including the role of polyadenylation, are not well understood. Our previous in organello pulse-chase experiments suggest that poly(A) tails stimulate degradation of mRNAs in the mitochondria of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei (Militello, K. T., and Read, L. K. (2000) Mol. Cell. Biol. 21, 731-742). In this report, we developed an in vitro assay to directly examine the effects of specific 3′-sequences on RNA degradation. We found that a salt-extracted mitochondrial membrane fraction preferentially degraded polyadenylated mitochondrially and non-mitochondrially encoded RNAs over their non-adenylated counterparts. A poly(A) tail as short as 5 nucleotides was sufficient to stimulate rapid degradation, although an in vivo tail length of 20 adenosines supported the most rapid decay. A poly(U) extension did not promote rapid RNA degradation, and RNA turnover was slowed by the addition of uridine residues to the poly(A) tail. To stimulate degradation, the poly(A) element must be located at the 3′ terminus of the RNA. Finally, we demonstrate that degradation of polyadenylated RNAs occurs in the 3′ to 5′ direction through the action of a hydrolytic exonuclease. These experiments demonstrate that the poly(A) tail can act as a cis-acting element to facilitate degradation of T. brucei mitochondrial mRNAs