Face Processing in the Chimpanzee Brain

SummaryHuman face recognition involves highly specialized cognitive and neural processes that enable the recognition of specific individuals [1–5]. Although comparative studies suggest that similar cognitive processes underlie face recognition in chimpanzees and humans ([6–8] and Supplemental Data), it remains unknown whether chimpanzees also show face-selective activity in ventral temporal cortex. This study is the first to examine regional cerebral glucose metabolism with 18F-flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in chimpanzees after they performed computerized tasks matching conspecifics' faces and nonface objects (Supplemental Data). A whole-brain analysis comparing these two tasks in five chimpanzees revealed significant face-selective activity in regions known to comprise the distributed cortical face-processing network in humans, including superior temporal sulcus and orbitofrontal cortex [9–11]. In order to identify regions that were exclusively active during one task, but not the other, we subtracted a resting-state condition from each task and identified the activity exclusive to each. This revealed numerous distinct patches of face-selective activity in the fusiform gyrus that were interspersed within a large expanse of object-selective cortex. This pattern suggests similar object form topography in the ventral temporal cortex of chimpanzees and humans, in which faces may represent a special class of visual stimulus

Reconstructing the Engram: Simultaneous, Multisite, Many Single Neuron Recordings

AbstractLittle is known about the physiological principles that govern large-scale neuronal interactions in the mammalian brain. Here, we describe an electrophysiological paradigm capable of simultaneously recording the extracellular activity of large populations of single neurons, distributed across multiple cortical and subcortical structures in behaving and anesthetized animals. Up to 100 neurons were simultaneously recorded after 48 microwires were implanted in the brain stem, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex of rats. Overall, 86% of the implanted microwires yielded single neurons, and an average of 2.3 neurons were discriminated per microwire. Our population recordings remained stable for weeks, demonstrating that this method can be employed to investigate the dynamic and distributed neuronal ensemble interactions that underlie processes such as sensory perception, motor control, and sensorimotor learning in freely behaving animals

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with occult coronary artery disease detected by positron emission tomography

Objective: Silent myocardial ischemia is common in asymptomatic subjects without a prior history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to determine whether endothelial dysfunction is associated with silent myocardial ischemia and whether the association is independent of genetic and familial factors. Material and methods: We examined 416 male monozygotic and dizygotic twins aged 47 to 63 years, free of symptomatic CAD. Subclinical ischemia was diagnosed by [13N] ammonia positron emission tomography at rest and after adenosine stress. Endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Generalized estimating equations were used for analysis. Results: Fixed perfusion defects were found in 24 (6%) twins and reversible perfusion defects in 90 (22%) twins, indicating subclinical ischemia. There was an inverse correlation between FMD and the reversible perfusion defect score (r = − 0.14, p = 0.01) but not the fixed defect score (r = − 0.017, p = 0.73). From the lowest to the highest quartiles of FMD, the prevalence of reversible defects decreased from 28% to 14%, p = 0.008. In multivariable analysis, reversible defects were significantly associated with each quartile of decreasing FMD (OR = 1.3; 95% 1.1, 2.5). In 54 twin pairs discordant for endothelial dysfunction (FMD ≤ 7% dilation from baseline), twins with endothelial dysfunction had 9% higher likelihood of having perfusion defects than their co-twins without endothelial dysfunction (p = 0.041). Conclusions: Endothelial dysfunction is independently associated with silent ischemia and this association is not confounded by genetic or other shared familial factors

Overview of charged-particle beam diagnostics for the Advanced Photon Source (APS)

Plans, prototypes, and initial test results for the charged-particle beam (e[sup [minus]],e[sup +]) diagnostic systems on the injector rings, their transport lines, and the storage ring for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) are presented. The APS will be a synchrotron radiation user facility with one of the world's brightest x-ray sources in the 10-keV to 100-keV regime. Its 200-MeV electron linac, 450-MeV positron linac, positron accumulator ring, 7-GeV booster synchrotron, 7-GeV storage ring, and undulator test lines will also demand the development and demonstration of key particle-beam characterization techniques over a wide range of parameter space. Some of these parameter values overlap or approach those projected for fourth generation light sources (linac-driven FELs and high brightness storage rings) as described at a recent workshop. Initial results from the diagnostics prototypes on the linac test stand operating at 45-MeV include current monitor data, beam loss monitor data, and video digitization using VME architecture

Revealing the short-range structure of the "mirror nuclei" 3^3H and 3^3He

When protons and neutrons (nucleons) are bound into atomic nuclei, they are close enough together to feel significant attraction, or repulsion, from the strong, short-distance part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. These strong interactions lead to hard collisions between nucleons, generating pairs of highly-energetic nucleons referred to as short-range correlations (SRCs). SRCs are an important but relatively poorly understood part of nuclear structure and mapping out the strength and isospin structure (neutron-proton vs proton-proton pairs) of these virtual excitations is thus critical input for modeling a range of nuclear, particle, and astrophysics measurements. Hitherto measurements used two-nucleon knockout or ``triple-coincidence'' reactions to measure the relative contribution of np- and pp-SRCs by knocking out a proton from the SRC and detecting its partner nucleon (proton or neutron). These measurementsshow that SRCs are almost exclusively np pairs, but had limited statistics and required large model-dependent final-state interaction (FSI) corrections. We report on the first measurement using inclusive scattering from the mirror nuclei $^3$H and $^3$He to extract the np/pp ratio of SRCs in the A=3 system. We obtain a measure of the np/pp SRC ratio that is an order of magnitude more precise than previous experiments, and find a dramatic deviation from the near-total np dominance observed in heavy nuclei. This result implies an unexpected structure in the high-momentum wavefunction for $^3$He and $^3$H. Understanding these results will improve our understanding of the short-range part of the N-N interaction

Cross-Section Measurement of Virtual Photoproduction of Iso-Triplet Three-Body Hypernucleus, ⋀nn

Missing-mass spectroscopy with the 3H(e, e′K+) reaction was carried out at Jefferson Lab’s (JLab) Hall A in Oct–Nov, 2018. The differential cross section for the 3H(γ∗, K+)Λnn was deduced at ω = Ee − Ee′ = 2.102 GeV and at the forward K+-scattering angle (0° ≤ θγ∗K ≤ 5°) in the laboratory frame. Given typical predicted energies and decay widths, which are (BΛ, Γ) = (−0.25, 0.8) and (−0.55, 4.7) MeV, the cross sections were found to be 11.2 ± 4.8(stat.)+4.1−2.1(sys.) and 18.1 ± 6.8(stat.)+4.2−2.9(sys.) nb/sr, respectively. The obtained result would impose a constraint for interaction models particularly between Λ and neutron by comparing to theoretical calculations

Towards the Development of an Empirical Model for Islamic Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from the Middle East

Academic research suggests that variances in contextual dynamics, and more specifically religion, may lead to disparate perceptions and practices of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Driven by the increased geopolitical and economic importance of the Middle East and identified gaps in knowledge, the study aims to examine if indeed there is a divergent form of CSR exercised in the region. The study identifies unique CSR dimensions and constructs presented through an empirical framework in order to outline the practice and perception of CSR in a context with strong Islamic beliefs. The framework goes beyond the platform of mere Islamic philanthropy and is based on CSR-stakeholder management practices. Following an exploratory research design and collecting interview data from representatives of 63 organisations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the study offers a snapshot of the CSR reality from the perspective of those living the phenomenon. The results suggest that the practice and perception of CSR in the examined context are largely grounded in the areas of social and altruistic actions but they cannot be examined in isolation from the religious context of CSR operation. This focus is mainly attributed to the dominant role of Islam in the examined sample, which leads to forms of non-structured or semi-structured approaches to CSR. Apart from the theoretical advancements offered to the CSR literature, the study also provides contributions for practitioners and policy makers.</p