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Growth modeling is a key aspect of statistical analysis, particularly in fields such as biology, economics, and social sciences. In primate development studies, ontogeny is a well-known phenomenon that skeletal growth tends to stop at a certain age. Bone dimension measures of over 1200 skeletal sets derived from the Cayo Santiago (CS) rhesus colony were recently collected by a collaborative effort supported through NSF grants. These measures provided a valuable resource for extending a knowledge model for primate skeletal development regarding ontogeny, and variations based on sex and matrilineal lineage. This paper presents initial results of a custom regression model proposed, as well as model comparisons with other popular models used in similar line fitting tasks. Related data analytics and visualization support as implemented in the CSViewer for Analysts system are also described. 

The CSViewer for Analysts application provides access to a comprehensive database collected from the Cayo Santiago rhesus monkey colony with 11000 subjects over the past 86 years. Assorted data selection, visualization and analytical features are added to its new version 1.2, and results from mining newly collected osteological measures revealed new skeletal and dental development models. To expose the intended knowledge model of the CS colony to public audiences, especially to science classes at colleges and schools, a CSViewer for Education edition is planned. Supporting queries in plain English is considered beneficial to help students to seek for answers. This paper presents initial experiments with the Claude language model. A dental checkup dataset is used to and queries in plain English are used to explore the dataset through Claude API and the results were integrated with CSViewer to use its charting features to display dental development trend of the CS monkey population. Further development based on natural language interactions enabling utilization of the generative AI features are to be continued. 

ABSTRACT Linear enamel hypoplasias (LEHs) are development defects appearing as lines or grooves on enamel surfaces. Forming when physiological stressors disrupt developing teeth, LEHs provide retrospective insight into stress experienced in early development. Here, LEHs in Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were observed with respect to decade of birth, whether an individual was transferred from the free‐ranging colony to the captive facility during probable crown formation periods, and matriline of birth. It was hypothesized that later decades would exhibit higher prevalence than earlier decades as climatic conditions in Puerto Rico worsened over time. Transfer was expected to affect LEH formation because the process of transfer, and subsequent restriction to captivity, is thought to be stressful. Matriline membership was hypothesized to relate to LEH formation because there is some evidence of a genetic influence on susceptibility to form LEH and because offspring of matrilines of different dominance ranks are known to experience different levels of aggression. Lower third premolars with minimal enamel surface wear were scored for LEH using a digital microscope, while a follow‐up analysis of the two matrilines with the most extreme differences in LEH frequency was conducted using enamel surface profiles. Results were: (1) individuals born during the 1990s had significantly greater LEH prevalence than those born in the 1960s, (2) transferred individuals exhibited weak evidence of greater LEH prevalence than nontransferred comparison groups, and (3) matrilines did not differ in LEH expression in the initial or follow‐up analysis. Although sample sizes were small for some comparisons, these results suggest that not all decades saw an equal prevalence of LEH, that there might be a small effect of transfer from free‐ranging to captive conditions on LEH prevalence that is difficult to detect, and that the matriline into which an individual is born is not related to LEH expression. 

ABSTRACT Increased fluctuating asymmetry, or random differences between right and left sides, has been associated with developmental stress or developmental instability. This study examines fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of mesio‐distal and bucco‐lingual dimensions of deciduous maxillary molars (m¹, m²), and permanent maxillary premolars and molars (P³, P⁴, M¹, M²) of 466 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) born between 1950 and 2018 from Cayo Santiago (CS), Puerto Rico. All included individuals were of known age, sex, birth year, and matriline. We assess whether a secular trend occurs in FA over a 68‐year period, sex differences in FA, and whether environmental or management factors in the colony history resulted in decreased FA. Regression of FA on birth year tested for a secular trend in FA. A mixed‐model two‐way analysis of variance was used to test for the influence of food supplementation, tetanus vaccination and hurricane experience during dental development on FA. Differences across matrilines in response to the management or environmental factors were tested by ANOVA. There was no significant secular trend in FA. There was limited reduction of FA with implementation of the high protein diet, and limited support for the decreased FA associated with the implementation of tetanus vaccination. There is also limited difference in dental FA associated with exposure to a hurricane during dental development. Matrilineal differences in FA were observed for several teeth. The free‐ranging environment of Cayo Santiago is a complex environment, with many factors influencing the development of young rhesus macaques. While the introduction of a high protein diet or the implementation of a tetanus vaccination program may have improved individual health overall, there are likely other factors that may cause developmental stress and result in dental FA. 

The rich records of Rhesus macaques at Cayo Santiago (CS) with detailed information of individual and family relationships enables extended genetic analyses of the reproductive history of the colony. As a part of a collaborative effort to build a Knowledge Model of the history of health of the CS Rhesus colony, this study further delves into the intricate social group interactions and reproduction dynamics to provide an integrated perspective for a deeper understanding of familial connections and genetic aggregations. Leveraging matrilineal lineage developed from previous work and patrilineal tracing made available since mid-1970’s, as well as inter-group transfer data, this study attempted to provide retrospective views of group evolution history, with an emphasis on dyad interactions regarding their natal and transferred groups. Employing tools and techniques popular in social community analysis, including graph database and Gephi, this study conducted a comparative analysis focused on animals born between 2005 and 2014. Preliminary results indicated that communities identified by using Gephi matched well with census records, while deviations from historical sketches of group evolution summaries existed as well. Upcoming results from using Neo4j, a graph database system, will be compared with these findings, which can be integrated more smoothly with CSViewer for Analysts, the graphical user interfaces for the CS Knowledge Model to be introduced in a workshop at AABA 2024 annual meeting. Findings of this research can help add one more perspective to pathological studies seeking correlations with environmental factors such as food provision and natural disasters like hurricanes. 

Abstract--The Cayo Santiago rhesus, established and maintained for 85 years, has evolved into a valuable resource for researchers across various disciplines. This research paper outlines an ongoing NSF project aimed at developing a comprehensive database and user-friendly software application, CSViewer, to uncover hidden knowledge. Using a big data approach, the paper focuses on key events in the colony's population dynamics, emphasizing gender-specific analyses. It also explores data exploration and preparation processes, along with the application of the genealogy model in inbreeding analysis and genetic tracing. Future efforts, including the expansion of CSViewer's functions, are also addressed. 

Abstract ObjectivesThis brief communication documents the prevalence of maxillary central incisor talon cusps in Cayo Santiago rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and assesses whether talon cusp presence occurs at equivalent frequencies across matrilines. Materials and MethodsThe data on cusp presence vs. absence were analyzed by logistic regression in 170 monkeys (82 females, 78 males) from seven different matrilines. Sample sizes per matriline ranged from 10 to 42. Observations of talon cusps were blind with respect to matriline and sex. ResultsTalon cusps were present in 9.4% of the sample. By matriline, cusp frequencies ranged from 0%—Matrilines 073 and 106%—to 19.1% in Matriline 076. The frequency of the talon cusp in Matriline 076 was significantly greater than the frequency of the cusp in the remainder of the sample. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of the talon cusp by sex. ConclusionsThis study suggests that the talon cusp in rhesus monkeys, as in humans and baboons, is a rare trait. Elevated prevalence of the talon cusp in Matriline 076 suggests the possibility of a genetic influence on talon cusp expression. 

In this paper, we introduce an NSF funded project that aims to develop a database that integrates genetic, environmental and age-related information to study their effects on health conditions of a rhesus monkey colony at Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, which has been founded since 1938. In this project, we will combine the osteology data with the rich genealogy and demographic information into a searchable and computer-interoperable knowledge model accessible through user-friendly interfaces. Backed by the integrated database, this system will provide researchers and the public information from the Cayo Santiago rhesus colony and the derived skeletal collection, a powerful non-human model for datamining to study human disease. Undergraduate and graduate students from diverse communities have been incorporated into research and development activities. Related materials are used as case studies in relevant classes at Mercer University to help train these undergraduate students into problem solvers. 

Incorporating quality research in a college setting where undergraduate teaching is the primary goal is always challenging. Engaging undergraduate students in research-related activities using a research theme to arrange teaching materials and assignments can be beneficial. Students can be introduced to basic concepts in lower-level courses and later become effective research assistants. This paper presents such practices at Mercer University’s Computer Science Department from the students’ and faculty’s perspectives. The focus is on how to plan for breaking down the needs of research projects among student teams in various courses and provide collaboration opportunities between faculty and student researchers. Activities related to a research project supported through a NSF grant show satisfactory results for both students and the faculty advisor.