Chess as a Testing Grounds for the Oracle Approach to AI Safety

To reduce the danger of powerful super-intelligent AIs, we might make the first such AIs oracles that can only send and receive messages. This paper proposes a possibly practical means of using machine learning to create two classes of narrow AI oracles that would provide chess advice: those aligned with the player's interest, and those that want the player to lose and give deceptively bad advice. The player would be uncertain which type of oracle it was interacting with. As the oracles would be vastly more intelligent than the player in the domain of chess, experience with these oracles might help us prepare for future artificial general intelligence oracles

The selective oxidation of n-butanol to butyraldehyde by oxygen using stable Pt-based nanoparticulate catalysts: an efficient route for upgrading aqueous biobutanol

Supported Pt nanoparticles are shown to be active and selective towards butyraldehyde in the base-free oxidation of n-butanol by O2 in an aqueous phase. The formation of butyric acid as a by-product promoted the leaching of Pt and consequently the activity of the catalysts decreased upon reuse. Characterisation showed that the degree to which Pt leached from the catalysts was related to both the metal–support interaction and metal particle size. A catalyst active and stable (<1% metal leaching) in the aqueous reaction medium was obtained when Pt nanoparticles were supported on activated carbon and prepared by a chemical vapour impregnation method. The presence of n-butanol in the aqueous medium is required to inhibit the over oxidation of butyraldehyde to butyric acid. Consequently, high selectivities towards butyraldehyde can only be obtained at intermediate n-butanol conversion

Magnetoacoustic Portals and the Basal Heating of the Solar Chromosphere

We show that inclined magnetic field lines at the boundaries of large-scale convective cells (supergranules) provide "portals" through which low-frequency ( 5 mHz) acoustic waves, which are believed to provide the dominant source of wave heating of the chromosphere. This result opens up the possibility that low-frequency magnetoacoustic waves provide a significant source of energy for balancing the radiative losses of the ambient solar chromosphere

An Investigation into the Protein Composition of the Teneral Glossina morsitans morsitans Peritrophic Matrix.

BACKGROUND Tsetse flies serve as biological vectors for several species of African trypanosomes. In order to survive, proliferate and establish a midgut infection, trypanosomes must cross the tsetse fly peritrophic matrix (PM), which is an acellular gut lining surrounding the blood meal. Crossing of this multi-layered structure occurs at least twice during parasite migration and development, but the mechanism of how trypanosomes do so is not understood. In order to better comprehend the molecular events surrounding trypanosome penetration of the tsetse PM, a mass spectrometry-based approach was applied to investigate the PM protein composition using Glossina morsitans morsitans as a model organism. METHODS PMs from male teneral (young, unfed) flies were dissected, solubilised in urea/SDS buffer and the proteins precipitated with cold acetone/TCA. The PM proteins were either subjected to an in-solution tryptic digestion or fractionated on 1D SDS-PAGE, and the resulting bands digested using trypsin. The tryptic fragments from both preparations were purified and analysed by LC-MS/MS. RESULTS Overall, nearly 300 proteins were identified from both analyses, several of those containing signature Chitin Binding Domains (CBD), including novel peritrophins and peritrophin-like glycoproteins, which are essential in maintaining PM architecture and may act as trypanosome adhesins. Furthermore, 27 proteins from the tsetse secondary endosymbiont, Sodalis glossinidius, were also identified, suggesting this bacterium is probably in close association with the tsetse PM. CONCLUSION To our knowledge this is the first report on the protein composition of teneral G. m. morsitans, an important vector of African trypanosomes. Further functional analyses of these proteins will lead to a better understanding of the tsetse physiology and may help identify potential molecular targets to block trypanosome development within the tsetse

Developing lithium chemistry of 1,2-dihydropyridines : from kinetic intermediates to isolable characterized compounds

Generally considered kinetic intermediates in addition reactions of alkyllithiums to pyridine, 1-lithio-2-alkyl-1,2-dihydropyridines have been rarely isolated or characterized. This study develops their "isolated" chemistry. By a unique stoichiometric (that is 1:1, alkyllithium:pyridine ratios) synthetic approach using tridentate donors we show it is possible to stabilize and hence crystallize monomeric complexes where alkyl is tert-butyl. Theoretical calculations probing the donor-free parent tert-butyl species reveal 12 energetically similar stereoisomers in two distinct cyclotrimeric (LiN)3 conformations. NMR studies (including DOSY spectra) and thermal volatility analysis compare new sec-butyl and iso-butyl isomers showing the former is a hexane soluble efficient hydrolithiation agent converting benzophenone to lithium diphenylmethoxide. Emphasizing the criticalness of stoichiometry, reaction of nBuLi/Me6TREN with two equivalents of pyridine results in non-alkylated 1-lithio-1,4-dihydropyridine·Me6TREN and 2-n-butylpyridine, implying mechanistically the kinetic 1,2-n-butyl intermediate hydrolithiates the second pyridine

A hetero-alkali-metal version of the utility amide LDA : lithium-potassium diisopropylamide

Designed to extend the synthetically important alkali-metal diisopropylamide [(NPr2)-Pr-i; DA] class of compounds, the first example of a hetero-alkali-metallic complex of DA has been prepared as a partial TMEDA solvate. Revealed by an X-ray crystallographic study, its structure exists as a discrete lithium-rich trinuclear Li2KN3 heterocycle, with TMEDA only solvating the largest of the alkali-metals, with the two-coordinate lithium atoms being close to linearity [161.9(2)degrees]. A variety of NMR spectroscopic studies, including variable temperature and DOSY NMR experiments, suggests that this new form of LDA maintains its integrity in non-polar hydrocarbon solution. This complex thus represents a rare example of a KDA molecule which is soluble in non-polar medium without the need for excessive amounts of solubilizing Lewis donor being added

Darcin: a male pheromone that stimulates female memory and sexual attraction to an individual male's odour

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among invertebrates, specific pheromones elicit inherent (fixed) behavioural responses to coordinate social behaviours such as sexual recognition and attraction. By contrast, the much more complex social odours of mammals provide a broad range of information about the individual owner and stimulate individual-specific responses that are modulated by learning. How do mammals use such odours to coordinate important social interactions such as sexual attraction while allowing for individual-specific choice? We hypothesized that male mouse urine contains a specific pheromonal component that invokes inherent sexual attraction to the scent and which also stimulates female memory and conditions sexual attraction to the airborne odours of an individual scent owner associated with this pheromone.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using wild-stock house mice to ensure natural responses that generalize across individual genomes, we identify a single atypical male-specific major urinary protein (MUP) of mass 18893Da that invokes a female's inherent sexual attraction to male compared to female urinary scent. Attraction to this protein pheromone, which we named darcin, was as strong as the attraction to intact male urine. Importantly, contact with darcin also stimulated a strong learned attraction to the associated airborne urinary odour of an individual male, such that, subsequently, females were attracted to the airborne scent of that specific individual but not to that of other males.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This involatile protein is a mammalian male sex pheromone that stimulates a flexible response to individual-specific odours through associative learning and memory, allowing female sexual attraction to be inherent but selective towards particular males. This 'darcin effect' offers a new system to investigate the neural basis of individual-specific memories in the brain and give new insights into the regulation of behaviour in complex social mammals.</p> <p>See associated Commentary <url>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/71</url></p

The preparation of large surface area lanthanum based perovskite supports for AuPt nanoparticles: tuning the glycerol oxidation reaction pathway by switching the perovskite B site

Gold and gold alloys, in the form of supported nanoparticles, have been shown over the last three decades to be highly effective oxidation catalysts. Mixed metal oxide perovskites, with their high structural tolerance, are ideal for investigating how changes in the chemical composition of supports affect the catalysts' properties, while retaining similar surface areas, morphologies and metal co-ordinations. However, a significant disadvantage of using perovskites as supports is their high crystallinity and small surface area. We report the use of a supercritical carbon dioxide anti-solvent precipitation methodology to prepare large surface area lanthanum based perovskites, making the deposition of 1 wt% AuPt nanoparticles feasible. These catalysts were used for the selective oxidation of glycerol. By changing the elemental composition of the perovskite B site, we dramatically altered the reaction pathway between a sequential oxidation route to glyceric or tartronic acid and a dehydration reaction pathway to lactic acid. Selectivity profiles were correlated to reported oxygen adsorption capacities of the perovskite supports and also to changes in the AuPt nanoparticle morphologies. Extended time on line analysis using the best oxidation catalyst (AuPt/LaMnO3) produced an exceptionally high tartronic acid yield. LaMnO3 produced from alternative preparation methods was found to have lower activities, but gave comparable selectivity profiles to that produced using the supercritical carbon dioxide anti-solvent precipitation methodology

Dynamic instability of the major urinary protein gene family revealed by genomic and phenotypic comparisons between C57 and 129 strain mice

Targeted sequencing, manual genome annotation, phylogenetic analysis and mass spectrometry were used to characterise major urinary proteins (MUPs) and the Mup clusters of two strains of inbred mice

Dissecting the molecular diversity and commonality of bovine and human treponemes identifies key survival and adhesion mechanisms

Here, we report the first complete genomes of three cultivable treponeme species from bovine digital dermatitis (DD) skin lesions, two comparative human treponemes and a bovine gastrointestinal (GI) isolate. Key genomic differences between bovine and human treponemes implicate microbial mechanisms that enhance knowledge of how DD, a severe disease of ruminants, has emerged into a prolific, worldwide disease. Bovine DD treponemes have additional oxidative stress genes compared to nearest human-isolated relatives, suggesting better oxidative stress tolerance, and potentially explaining how bovine strains can colonize skin surfaces. Comparison of both bovine DD and GI treponemes as well as bovine pathogenic and human non-pathogenic saprophyte Treponema phagedenis strains indicates genes encoding a five-enzyme biosynthetic pathway for production of 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-mannuronic acid, a rare di-N-acetylated mannuronic acid sugar as important for pathogenesis. Bovine T. phagedenis strains further differed from human strains by having unique genetic clusters including components of a type IV secretion system and a phosphate utilisation system including phoU, a gene associated with osmotic stress survival. Proteomic analyses confirmed bovine derived T. phagedenis exhibits expression of PhoU but not the putative secretion system whilst the novel mannuronic acid pathway was expressed in near entirety across the DD treponemes. Analysis of osmotic stress response in water identified a difference between bovine and human T. phagedenis with bovine strains surviving better. This novel mechanism could enable a selective advantage, allowing environmental persistence and transmission of bovine T. phagedenis. Finally, we investigated putative outer membrane protein (OMP) ortholog families across the DD treponemes and identified several families as multi-specific adhesins capable of binding extra cellular matrix (ECM) components. One bovine pathogen specific adhesin ortholog family showed considerable serodiagnostic potential with the Treponema medium representative demonstrating considerable disease specificity (91.6%). This work has shed light on treponeme host adaptation and has identified candidate molecules for future diagnostics, vaccination and therapeutic intervention