bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bidirectional switchable beam splitter/filter based graphene loaded Si ring resonators
Authors: Bagheri Amin , Nazari Fakhroddin , Moravvej-Farshi Mohammad Kazem
Published: December 2021

Using bus waveguides coupled to the graphene-loaded Si-ring resonators (GSRRs) all on a Si-on-insulator substrate, we propose a compact bidirectional switchable beam splitter/filter controlled by graphene-based electro-absorptive (refractive) mode modulation. The design is suitable for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard. The proposed device consists of a through waveguide coupled to two drop waveguides via two GSRRs. Each GSRR consists of a stack of hBN/graphene/hBN nanolayers sandwiched between two Si-ring resonators. Using a finite difference time domain method, we have tuned the resonant wavelengths of GSRRs in the range of 1551.5 < λ < 1552.1 nm, linearly with the slope of ∼ 2.46 nm eV−1 via appropriately changing the graphene chemical potential, electrostatically. The numerical results show that when both GSRRs are in an electro-refractive state and a transverse electric (TE) polarized light beam of an appropriate wavelength is launched into one of the though-ports, ∼ 84.5% of the input intensity equally splits between the adjacent drop-ports. The transmission out of the second through-port is less than 0.8%. The numerical results further show that when one GSRR is in an electro-refractive mode, and the other one is in an electro-absorptive state, ∼ 68.4% of the input intensity transmits out of the drop-port adjacent to the former GSRR, and the other ports experience insignificant outputs (<0.7%). The device’s structural symmetry makes it a bidirectional tunable, suitable for long-haul optical telecommunication applications. Finally, we investigated the fabrication tolerances in the designed parameters.
The dynamic of quantum entanglement of two dimensional harmonic oscillator in non-commutative space
Authors: Koumetio Armel Azangue , Deuto Germain Yiande , Alain Giresse Tene , Martin Tchoffo
Published: December 2021

In the present paper, we study the influence of non-commutativity on entanglement in a system of two oscillators-modes in interaction with its environment. The considered system is a two-dimensional harmonic oscillator in non-commuting spatial coordinates coupled to its environment. The dynamics of the covariance matrix, the separability criteria for two Gaussian states in non-commutative space coordinates, and the logarithmic negativity are used to evaluate the quantum entanglement in the system, which is compared to the commutative space coordinates case. The result is applied for two initially entangled states, namely the squeezed vacuum and squeezed thermal states. It can be observed that the phenomenon of entanglement sudden death appears more early in the system for the case of squeezed vacuum state than in the case of squeezed thermal state. Thereafter, it is also observed that non-commutativity effects lead to an increasing of entanglement of initially entangled quantum states, and reduce the separability in the open quantum system. It turns out that a separable state in the usual commutative quantum mechanics might be entangled in non-commutative extension.
Inflation is always semi-classical: diffusion domination overproduces Primordial Black Holes
Authors: Rigopoulos G. , Wilkins A.
Published: December 2021

We use the Hamilton-Jacobi (H-J) formulation of stochastic inflation to describe the evolution of the inflaton during a period of Ultra-Slow Roll (USR), taking into account the field's velocity and its gravitational backreaction. We demonstrate how this formalism allows one to modify existing slow-roll (SR) formulae to be fully valid outside of the SR regime. We then compute the mass fraction, β, of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) formed by a plateau in the inflationary potential. By fully accounting for the inflaton velocity as it enters the plateau, we find that PBHs are generically overproduced before the inflaton's velocity reaches zero, ruling out a period of free diffusion or even stochastic noise domination on the inflaton dynamics. We also examine a local inflection point and similarly conclude that PBHs are overproduced before entering a quantum diffusion dominated regime. We therefore surmise that the evolution of the inflaton is always predominantly classical with diffusion effects always subdominant. Both the plateau and the inflection point are characterized by a very sharp transition between the under- and over-production regimes. This can be seen either as severe fine-tunning on the inflationary production of PBHs, or as a very strong link between the fraction β and the shape of the potential and the plateau's extent.
Cosmological constraints from unWISE and Planck CMB lensing tomography
Authors: Krolewski Alex , Ferraro Simone , White Martin
Published: December 2021

A number of recent, low-redshift, lensing measurements hint
at a universe in which the amplitude of lensing is lower than that
predicted from the ΛCDM model fit to the data of the Planck
CMB mission. Here we use the auto- and cross-correlation signal of
unWISE galaxies and Planck CMB lensing maps to infer cosmological
parameters at low redshift. In particular, we consider three unWISE
samples (denoted as "blue", "green" and "red") at median
redshifts z ∼ 0.6, 1.1 and 1.5, which fully cover the Dark
Energy dominated era. Our cross-correlation measurements, with
combined significance S/N ∼ 80, are used to infer the amplitude
of low-redshift fluctuations, σ8; the fraction of matter in
the Universe, Ω
m
; and the combination S8 ≡ σ8
(Ω
m
/0.3)0.5 to which these low-redshift lensing
measurements are most sensitive. The combination of blue, green and
red samples gives a value S
m
 = 0.784 ± 0.015, that is fully
consistent with other low-redshift lensing measurements and in
2.4σ tension with the CMB predictions from Planck. This is
noteworthy, because CMB lensing probes the same physics as previous
galaxy lensing measurements, but with very different systematics,
thus providing an excellent complement to previous measurements.
Covariant decomposition of the non-linear galaxy number counts and their monopole
Authors: Ginat Yonadav Barry , Desjacques Vincent , Jeong Donghui , Schmidt Fabian
Published: December 2021

We present a fully non-linear and relativistically covariant expression for the observed galaxy density contrast. Building on a null tetrad tailored to the cosmological observer's past light cone, we find a decomposition of the non-linear galaxy over-density into manifestly gauge-invariant quantities, each of which has a clear physical interpretation as a cosmological observable. This ensures that the monopole of the galaxy over-density field (the mean galaxy density as a function of observed redshift) is properly accounted for. We anticipate that this decomposition will be useful for future work on non-linearities in galaxy number counts, for example, deriving the relativistic expression for the galaxy bispectrum. We then specialise our results to conformal Newtonian gauge, with a Hubble parameter either defined globally or measured locally, illustrating the significance of the different contributions to the observed monopole of the galaxy density.
A comparison of traceable spatial angle autocollimator calibrations performed by PTB and VTT MIKES
Authors: Geckeler Ralf D , Schumann Matthias , Just Andreas , Krause Michael , Lassila Antti , Heikkinen Ville
Published: December 2021

Autocollimators are versatile devices for angle metrology used in a wide range of applications in engineering and manufacturing. A modern electronic autocollimator generally features two measuring axes and can thus fully determine the surface normal of an optical surface relative to it in space. Until recently, however, the calibration capabilities of the National Metrology Institutes were limited to plane angles. Although it was possible to calibrate both measuring axes independently of each other, it was not feasible to determine their crosstalk if angular deflections were present in both axes simultaneously. To expand autocollimator calibrations from plane angles to spatial angles, PTB and VTT MIKES have created dedicated calibration devices which are based on different measurement principles and accomplish the task of metrological traceability in different ways. Comparing calibrations of a transfer standard makes it possible to detect systematic measurement errors of the two devices and to evaluate the validity of their uncertainty budgets. The uncertainty levels of the devices are comparable to each other, with an expanded uncertainty U = 0.014 arcsecond (95.5% coverage probability) over a measuring range of ±1000 arcsecond in the case of PTB and U = 0.015 arcsecond over a range of ±500 arcsecond and U = 0.020 arcsecond over ±1000 arcsecond in the case of VTT MIKES. Over a range of ±1000 arcsecond with regards to both measuring axis of an Elcomat 3000 autocollimator as a transfer standard, no statistically significant differences between the calibrations were detected. The results thus confirm the calibration capabilities of PTB and VTT MIKES as stated in the calibration and measuring capability database of Bureau International des Poids et Mesures.
Metaphysical semantics versus ground on questions of realism
Authors: Sud Rohan
Published: December 2021

One desideratum for a theory of fundamentality is to give us the conceptual tools to articulate fruitful metaphysical distinctions between the assortment of ‘realist’ and ‘anti-realist’ positions in a given domain such as meta-ethics. The ability to articulate such distinctions gives us a way to assess rival theories of fundamentality, such as Fine’s grounding theory and Sider’s metaphysical semantic theory. Indeed, Sider has argued that metaphysical semantic theories have an edge with respect to this desideratum and takes this as an important reason to prefer those theories over rival grounding theories. This paper takes a closer look at how the rival theories compare with respect to questions of realism and defends the grounding theorist’s ability to meet the desideratum.
Analysing an allelic series of rare missense variants of CACNA1I in a Swedish schizophrenia cohort
Authors: Baez-Nieto David , Allen Andrew , Akers-Campbell Seth , Yang Lingling , Budnik Nikita , Pupo Amaury , Shin Young-Cheul , Genovese Giulio , Liao Maofu , Pérez-Palma Eduardo , Heyne Henrike , Lal Dennis , Lipscombe Diane , Pan Jen Q.
Published: December 2021

CACNA1I is implicated in the susceptibility to schizophrenia by large-scale genetic association studies of single nucleotide polymorphisms. However, the channelopathy of CACNA1I in schizophrenia is unknown. CACNA1I encodes CaV3.3, a neuronal voltage-gated calcium channel that underlies a subtype of T-type current that is important for neuronal excitability in the thalamic reticular nucleus and other regions of the brain. Here, we present an extensive functional characterization of 57 naturally occurring rare and common missense variants of CACNA1I derived from a Swedish schizophrenia cohort of more than 10 000 individuals. Our analysis of this allelic series of coding CACNA1I variants revealed that reduced CaV3.3 channel current density was the dominant phenotype associated with rare CACNA1I coding alleles derived from control subjects, whereas rare CACNA1I alleles from schizophrenia patients encoded CaV3.3 channels with altered responses to voltages. CACNA1I variants associated with altered current density primarily impact the ionic channel pore and those associated with altered responses to voltage impact the voltage-sensing domain. CaV3.3 variants associated with altered voltage dependence of the CaV3.3 channel and those associated with peak current density deficits were significantly segregated across affected and unaffected groups (Fisher’s exact test, P = 0.034). Our results, together with recent data from the SCHEMA (Schizophrenia Exome Sequencing Meta-Analysis) cohort, suggest that reduced CaV3.3 function may protect against schizophrenia risk in rare cases. We subsequently modelled the effect of the biophysical properties of CaV3.3 channel variants on thalamic reticular nucleus excitability and found that compared with common variants, ultrarare CaV3.3-coding variants derived from control subjects significantly decreased thalamic reticular nucleus excitability (P = 0.011). When all rare variants were analysed, there was a non-significant trend between variants that reduced thalamic reticular nucleus excitability and variants that either had no effect or increased thalamic reticular nucleus excitability across disease status. Taken together, the results of our functional analysis of an allelic series of >50 CACNA1I variants in a schizophrenia cohort reveal that loss of function of CaV3.3 is a molecular phenotype associated with reduced disease risk burden, and our approach may serve as a template strategy for channelopathies in polygenic disorders.
Paul Broca: from fame to shame?
Authors: Boraud Thomas , Forkel Stephanie J.
Published: December 2021

In 2016, the University of Bordeaux named its new neuroscience building after Paul Broca. A debate was recently ignited about the appropriateness of this choice, however, given Broca’s endorsement of physiological anthropology. Thomas Boraud and Stephanie Forkel discuss this debate and its implications for neurology today.
A recurrent machine learning model predicts intracranial hypertension in neurointensive care patients
Authors: Schweingruber Nils , Mader Marius Marc Daniel , Wiehe Anton , Röder Frank , Göttsche Jennifer , Kluge Stefan , Westphal Manfred , Czorlich Patrick , Gerloff Christian
Published: December 2021

The evolution of intracranial pressure (ICP) of critically ill patients admitted to a neurointensive care unit (ICU) is difficult to predict. Besides the underlying disease and compromised intracranial space, ICP is affected by a multitude of factors, many of which are monitored on the ICU, but the complexity of the resulting patterns limits their clinical use. This paves the way for new machine learning techniques to assist clinical management of patients undergoing invasive ICP monitoring independent of the underlying disease.

An institutional cohort (ICP-ICU) of patients with invasive ICP monitoring (n = 1346) was used to train recurrent machine learning models to predict the occurrence of ICP increases of ≥22 mmHg over a long (>2 h) time period in the upcoming hours. External validation was performed on patients undergoing invasive ICP measurement in two publicly available datasets [Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC, n = 998) and eICU Collaborative Research Database (n = 1634)].

Different distances (1–24 h) between prediction time point and upcoming critical phase were evaluated, demonstrating a decrease in performance but still robust AUC-ROC with larger distances (24 h AUC-ROC: ICP-ICU 0.826 ± 0.0071, MIMIC 0.836 ± 0.0063, eICU 0.779 ± 0.0046, 1 h AUC-ROC: ICP-ICU 0.982 ± 0.0008, MIMIC 0.965 ± 0.0010, eICU 0.941 ± 0.0025). The model operates on sparse hourly data and is stable in handling variable input lengths and missingness through its nature of recurrence and internal memory. Calculation of gradient-based feature importance revealed individual underlying decisions for our long short time memory-based model and thereby provided improved clinical interpretability.

Recurrent machine learning models have the potential to be an effective tool for the prediction of ICP increases with high translational potential.
Heterozygous PRKN mutations are common but do not increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Zhu William , Huang Xiaoping , Yoon Esther , Bandres-Ciga Sara , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Billingsley Kimberly J , Cade Joshua H , Wu Beverly P , Williams Victoria H , Schindler Alice B , Brooks Janet , Gibbs J Raphael , Hernandez Dena G , Ehrlich Debra , Singleton Andrew B , Narendra Derek P
Published: December 2021

PRKN mutations are the most common recessive cause of Parkinson’s disease and are a promising target for gene and cell replacement therapies. Identification of biallelic PRKN patients at the population scale, however, remains a challenge, as roughly half are copy number variants and many single nucleotide polymorphisms are of unclear significance. Additionally, the true prevalence and disease risk associated with heterozygous PRKN mutations is unclear, as a comprehensive assessment of PRKN mutations has not been performed at a population scale.

To address these challenges, we evaluated PRKN mutations in two cohorts with near complete genotyping of both single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants: the NIH-PD + AMP-PD cohort, the largest Parkinson’s disease case-control cohort with whole genome sequencing data from 4094 participants, and the UK Biobank, the largest cohort study with whole exome sequencing and genotyping array data from 200 606 participants. Using the NIH-PD participants, who were genotyped using whole genome sequencing, genotyping array, and multi-plex ligation-dependent probe amplification, we validated genotyping array for the detection of copy number variants. Additionally, in the NIH-PD cohort, functional assays of patient fibroblasts resolved variants of unclear significance in biallelic carriers and suggested that cryptic loss of function variants in monoallelic carriers are not a substantial confounder for association studies.

In the UK Biobank, we identified 2692 PRKN copy number variants from genotyping array data from nearly half a million participants (the largest collection to date). Deletions or duplications involving exon 2 accounted for roughly half of all copy number variants and the vast majority (88%) involved exons 2, 3, or 4. In the UK Biobank, we found a pathogenic PRKN mutation in 1.8% of participants and two mutations in ∼1/7800 participants. Those with one PRKN pathogenic variant were as likely as non-carriers to have Parkinson’s disease [odds ratio = 0.91 (0.58–1.38), P-value 0.76] or a parent with Parkinson’s disease [odds ratio = 1.12 (0.94–1.31), P-value = 0.19]. Similarly, those in the NIH-PD + AMP + PD cohort with one PRKN pathogenic variant were as likely as non-carriers to have Parkinson’s disease [odds ratio = 1.29 (0.74–2.38), P-value = 0.43].

Together our results demonstrate that heterozygous pathogenic PRKN mutations are common in the population but do not increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
High SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load and Low CCL5 Expression Levels in the Upper Respiratory Tract Are Associated With COVID-19 Severity
Authors: Pérez-García Felipe , Martin-Vicente María , Rojas-García Rosa Lía , Castilla-García Lucía , Muñoz-Gomez María José , Hervás Fernández Irene , González Ventosa Victoria , Vidal-Alcántara Erick Joan , Cuadros-González Juan , Bermejo-Martin Jesús F , Resino Salvador , Martínez Isidoro
Published: December 2021

Mucosal immune response in the upper respiratory tract is crucial for initial control of viral replication, clearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 RNA load and expression of selected immune genes in the upper respiratory tract (nasopharynx) of 255 SARS-CoV-2–infected patients and evaluated their association with severe COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 replication in nasopharyngeal mucosa induces expression of several innate immune genes. High SARS-CoV-2 viral load and low CCL5 expression levels were associated with intensive care unit admission or death, although CCL5 was the best predictor of COVID-19 severity.
Efficacy of Two-Stage Meek Micrografting in Patients With Severe Burns
Authors: Hu Gaozhong , Zhang Peng , Chen Yan , Yuan Zhiqiang , Song Huapei
Published: December 2021

Burns are common injuries associated with high disability and mortality. In recent years, Meek micrografting technique has been gradually applied for the wound treatment of severe burns. However, the efficacy of two-stage Meek micrografting in patients with severe burns keeps unclear. The data of eligible patients with severe burns who were admitted to Southwest Hospital of the Third Military Medical University from January 2013 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the Meek micrografting method: one-stage skin grafting (group A) and two-stage skin grafting (group B). The baseline data, survival rate of skin graft, length of hospital stay, treatment costs, laboratory data, and cumulative survival were statistically analyzed. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (91 in group A and 36 in group B) were included in the study. There was no significant difference in the baseline data, the length of hospital stay, and treatment costs between the two groups. The survival rate of skin graft was higher in group B. Total protein and albumin level, platelet count in group B were superior to those in group A, while there was no difference in other laboratory data (prealbumin, serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, cystatin C, blood cultures, wound exudate cultures), and cumulative survival between the two groups. Our results demonstrated that staged Meek micrografting could improve the survival rate of skin graft, by reducing the risks of hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and low platelet counts after adequate resuscitation.
Climate Change, Inequality, and Human Migration
Authors: Burzyński Michał , Deuster Christoph , Docquier Frédéric , de Melo Jaime
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates the long-term implications of climate change on global migration and inequality. Accounting for the effects of changing temperatures, sea levels, and the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, we model the impact of climate change on productivity and utility in a dynamic general equilibrium framework. By endogenizing people’s migration decisions across millions of $5 \times 5$ km spatial cells, our approach sheds light on the magnitude and dyadic, education-specific structure of human migration induced by global warming. We find that climate change strongly intensifies global inequality and poverty, reinforces urbanization, and boosts migration from low- to high-latitude areas. Median projections suggest that climate change will induce a voluntary and a forced permanent relocation of 62 million working-age individuals over the course of the 21st century. Overall, under current international migration laws and policies, only a small fraction of people suffering from the negative effects of climate change manages to move beyond their homelands. We conclude that it is unlikely that climate shocks will induce massive international flows of migrants, except under combined extremely pessimistic climate scenarios and highly permissive migration policies. In contrast, poverty resulting from climate change is a real threat to all of us.
Genetic screen for suppression of transcriptional interference reveals fission yeast 14–3–3 protein Rad24 as an antagonist of precocious Pol2 transcription termination
Authors: Garg Angad , Shuman Stewart , Schwer Beate
Published: December 2021

Expression of fission yeast Pho1 acid phosphatase is repressed under phosphate-replete conditions by transcription of an upstream prt lncRNA that interferes with the pho1 mRNA promoter. lncRNA control of pho1 mRNA synthesis is influenced by inositol pyrophosphate (IPP) kinase Asp1, deletion of which results in pho1 hyper-repression. A forward genetic screen for ADS (Asp1 Deletion Suppressor) mutations identified the 14–3–3 protein Rad24 as a governor of phosphate homeostasis. Production of full-length interfering prt lncRNA was squelched in rad24Δ cells, concomitant with increased production of pho1 mRNA and increased Pho1 activity, while shorter precociously terminated non-interfering prt transcripts persisted. Epistasis analysis showed that pho1 de-repression by rad24Δ depends on: (i) 3′-processing and transcription termination factors CPF, Pin1, and Rhn1; and (ii) Threonine-4 of the Pol2 CTD. Combining rad24Δ with the IPP pyrophosphatase-dead asp1-H397A allele caused a severe synthetic growth defect that was ameliorated by loss-of-function mutations in CPF, Pin1, and Rhn1, and by CTD phospho-site mutations T4A and Y1F. Rad24 function in repressing pho1 was effaced by mutation of its phosphate-binding pocket. Our findings instate a new role for a 14–3–3 protein as an antagonist of precocious RNA 3′-processing/termination.
Screening and management of subclinical interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis: an international survey
Authors: Hoa Sabrina , Baron Murray , Hudson Marie
Published: December 2021

Objective

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of mortality in SSc. Experts now recommend high-resolution CT (HRCT) screening in all SSc patients and treatment of subclinical ILD in SSc patients with high-risk phenotypes. We undertook an international survey to understand current screening and treatment practices in subclinical SSc-ILD.

Methods

An electronic REDCap survey was distributed to 611 general rheumatologists, 348 national and international SSc experts, 285 general respirologists and 57 ILD experts.

Results

One hundred and ninety-eight participants responded to the survey, including 135 (68%) rheumatologists and 54 (27%) respirologists. Over half (59%) of respondents routinely ordered HRCTs in all newly diagnosed SSc patients, although this practice was more common in Europe (83%), the USA (68%), Asia (73%) and Latin America (100%) compared with Canada (40%) and Australia (40%). Nearly half (48%) of respondents would not treat subclinical SSc-ILD, whereas 52% would treat or consider treatment. At least 70% would likely treat subclinical ILD in the setting of diffuse SSc, anti-topoisomerase-I autoantibodies, disease duration below 18 months, ground-glass opacities, oxygen desaturation, or significant ILD progression on imaging or pulmonary function tests. The majority (67%) of respirologists would not treat subclinical ILD. MMF was the preferred first-line drug for the treatment of subclinical SSc-ILD.

Conclusion

This international survey highlights important regional variations in SSc-ILD screening and significant heterogeneity among rheumatologists and respirologists in the treatment of subclinical SSc-ILD. High-quality research addressing these questions is needed to produce evidence-based guidelines and harmonize the approach to identification and treatment of subclinical SSc-ILD.
When does cultural evolution become cumulative culture? A case study of humpback whale song
Authors: Garland Ellen C. , Garrigue Claire , Noad Michael J.
Published: December 2021

Culture presents a second inheritance system by which innovations can be transmitted between generations and among individuals. Some vocal behaviours present compelling examples of cultural evolution. Where modifications accumulate over time, such a process can become cumulative cultural evolution. The existence of cumulative cultural evolution in non-human animals is controversial. When physical products of such a process do not exist, modifications may not be clearly visible over time. Here, we investigate whether the constantly evolving songs of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are indicative of cumulative cultural evolution. Using nine years of song data recorded from the New Caledonian humpback whale population, we quantified song evolution and complexity, and formally evaluated this process in light of criteria for cumulative cultural evolution. Song accumulates changes shown by an increase in complexity, but this process is punctuated by rapid loss of song material. While such changes tentatively satisfy the core criteria for cumulative cultural evolution, this claim hinges on the assumption that novel songs are preferred by females. While parsimonious, until such time as studies can link fitness benefits (reproductive success) to individual singers, any claims that humpback whale song evolution represents a form of cumulative cultural evolution may remain open to interpretation.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The emergence of collective knowledge and cumulative culture in animals, humans and machines’.
Cumulative cultural evolution, population structure and the origin of combinatoriality in human language
Authors: Kirby Simon , Tamariz Monica
Published: December 2021

Language is the primary repository and mediator of human collective knowledge. A central question for evolutionary linguistics is the origin of the combinatorial structure of language (sometimes referred to as duality of patterning), one of language’s basic design features. Emerging sign languages provide a promising arena to study the emergence of language properties. Many, but not all such sign languages exhibit combinatoriality, which generates testable hypotheses about its source. We hypothesize that combinatoriality is the inevitable result of learning biases in cultural transmission, and that population structure explains differences across languages. We construct an agent-based model with population turnover. Bayesian learning agents with a prior preference for compressible languages (modelling a pressure for language learnability) communicate in pairs under pressure to reduce ambiguity. We include two transmission conditions: agents learn the language either from the oldest agent or from an agent in the middle of their lifespan. Results suggest that (1) combinatoriality emerges during iterated cultural transmission under concurrent pressures for simplicity and expressivity and (2) population dynamics affect the rate of evolution, which is faster when agents learn from other learners than when they learn from old individuals. This may explain its absence in some emerging sign languages. We discuss the consequences of this finding for cultural evolution, highlighting the interplay of population-level, functional and cognitive factors.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The emergence of collective knowledge and cumulative culture in animals, humans and machines’.
Evidence for cumulative cultural evolution in bird song
Authors: Williams Heather , Lachlan Robert F.
Published: December 2021

In studies of cumulative cultural evolution in non-human animals, the focus is most often on incremental changes that increase the efficacy of an existing form of socially learned behaviour, such as the refinement of migratory pathways. In this paper, we compare the songs of different species to describe patterns of evolution in the acoustic structure of bird songs, and explore the question of what building blocks might underlie cumulative cultural evolution of bird song using a comparative approach. We suggest that three steps occurred: first, imitation of independent sounds, or notes, via social learning; second, the formation of categories of note types; and third, assembling note types into sequences with defined structures. Simple sequences can then be repeated to form simple songs or concatenated with other sequences to form segmented songs, increasing complexity. Variant forms of both the notes and the sequencing rules may then arise due to copy errors and innovation. Some variants may become established in the population because of learning biases or selection, increasing signal efficiency, or because of cultural drift. Cumulative cultural evolution of bird songs thus arises from cognitive processes such as vocal imitation, categorization during memorization and learning biases applied to basic acoustic building blocks.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The emergence of collective knowledge and cumulative culture in animals, humans and machines’.
A Transcriptomic and Proteomic Atlas of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Cynomolgus Monkeys
Authors: Zhang Xianglong , Lei Ying , Homann Oliver , Stolina Marina , Wang Songli , Véniant Murielle M. , Hu Liangbiao George , Hsu Yi-Hsiang
Published: December 2021

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remain major global healthcare challenges and developing therapeutics necessitate using nonhuman primate models. Here, we present transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of all the major organs of cynomolgus monkeys with spontaneous obesity or T2D in comparison to healthy controls. Molecular changes occur predominantly in the adipose tissues of individuals with obesity, while extensive expression perturbations among T2D individuals are observed in many tissues, such as the liver, kidney, brain, and heart. Immune response-related pathways are upregulated in obesity and T2D, whereas metabolism and mitochondrial pathways are downregulated. Incorporating human single-cell RNA sequencing findings corroborates the role of macrophages and monocytes in obesity. Moreover, we highlight some potential therapeutic targets includingSLC2A1andPCSK1in obesity as well asSLC30A8andSLC2A2in T2D. Our findings provide insights into tissue-specific molecular foundations of obesity and T2D and reveal the mechanistic links between these two metabolic disorders.
Chinese consumers' selection of wine purchasing channels: influence of demographic characteristics, perceived value factors, social factors and wine knowledge
Authors: Tian Dong , Hao Shuo , Mu Weisong , Shi Jia , Feng Jianying
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The selection of purchasing channels by wine consumers indirectly affects buying experience and satisfaction, therefore, it is of great practical significance to study consumers' preference on channel selection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the current state of consumer selection for purchasing channel and the corresponding influencing factors.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 2,976 valid questionnaires were collected by convenience sampling from 34 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China in 2020 via the Internet, yielding a response rate of 82.2%. A categorical statistical approach was used to understand consumer's selection for each channel. Besides, binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting consumers' channel selection.

Findings

The results show that Chinese wine consumers' main purchasing channels are as follows: supermarket/mall, wine specialty stores, comprehensive e-business flagship stores, comprehensive e-business individual stores, restaurants and short video and live streaming platforms. Estimation results showed that among the 12 influencing factors in 4 categories, consumers' education and some other factors significantly influenced consumers' decision on wine purchasing channels.

Research limitations/implications

Limited by time and experimental conditions, this study did not analyze the trend of wine consumers' purchasing channel selection. Future work would concentrate on multi-year data and conduct longitudinal comparative analysis.

Originality/value

This study innovatively subdivides the currently popular wine sales channels in Chinese market and conducts research related to consumer channel selection. The results of the study can provide reference for wine producers and distributors to update their strategic layout and also help various channels to understand the characteristics of their customer groups for targeted marketing.
Development of a wearable orthotic device pattern to prevent hip dislocation in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Han Hyunjung , Kim Jeong Ha
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study suggest the development of a wearable orthotic device pattern that can reduce pain and deformation, and help in the normal development of children with cerebral palsy. Such a pattern enables daily wear before hip subluxation occurs, to prevent hip dislocation and subluxation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study set the design line by carrying out cell work on the actual model, then proceeded with the first pattern design. The final version of the second orthotic device was designed by conducting discussions with experts and the patient's guardian, with the device fitted to the child patient. The evaluation of the second orthotic device used the virtual model to check the pressure area and level through virtual fitting. An evaluation was then conducted with the device fitted to the child patient, to verify the functionality and suitability of the final pattern.

Findings

Following the initial fitting evaluation, the second pattern was presented after modifying and supplementing issues such as movement suitability with posture change, position change of the great trochanter when wearing a diaper, pressure control of the X-shaped band on the genital area and thigh abduction. The master pattern of the final version of the second orthotic device was proposed after confirming that the femoral head of the hip joint was stably fixed, and the compression was applied through a verification based on the virtual fitting using the virtual model, and with the device fitted to the child patient.

Originality/value

With this study, it is expected that the process and design plan for the development of wearable orthotic device patterns for the persons with disabilities impaired mobility can be used as a basic resource to create devices that merge the clothing and medical fields.
Exploring Norwegian prison frontline workers’ perceptions of interprofessional collaboration – a pilot study
Authors: Larsen Bjørn Kjetil , Hean Sarah , Ødegård Atle
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Interprofessional collaboration is necessary for handling the complex psychosocial needs of prisoners. This collaboration must be addressed to avoid high recidivism rates and the human and societal costs linked to them. Challenges are exacerbated by a linear approach to handling prisoners’ problems, silo working between welfare agencies and professional boundaries between frontline workers. There are few adequate theoretical frameworks and tools to address these challenges in the prison context. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions that frontline staff working in Norwegian prison facilities have regarding interprofessional collaboration in providing mental health services for prisoners.

Design/methodology/approach

This study had a non-experimental, cross-sectional design to explore perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in a prison context. Descriptive and multifactorial analyses (exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis) were used to explore the data.

Findings

The analysis showed that three factors, communication, organizational culture and domain, explained 95% of the variance. Results are discussed using relational coordination, as well as the conceptual PINCOM model, as a theoretical framework.

Originality/value

Few studies explicitly explore collaboration between professionals in mental health and prison services despite its being a prerequisite to achieving sufficient services for prisoners. To our knowledge, this current study is one of the first in Norway to explore collaboration in a prison context by analysing quantitative data and focusing on frontline workers perception of the phenomenon.
The role of socio-psychological and personality antecedents in luxury consumption: a meta-analytic review
Authors: Bharti Megha , Suneja Vivek , Chauhan Ajay Kumar
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper conducts a meta-analytic review of literature focused on the salient socio-psychological and personality antecedents of luxury purchase intention. It investigates the role of moderators that can assist an effective market segmentation of the luxury market in both emerging and developed economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The final analysis includes 95 effect sizes from 42 studies conducted in 15 countries, spanning 5 continents, from 2000 to 2020. The review examined moderating role of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, market type (emerging vs developed) and other study characteristics.

Findings

Findings show that socio-psychological antecedents had a more salient role than personality antecedents in driving luxury purchase intention (LPI), across both emerging and developed markets. Normative influence, status consumption and materialism exhibited a stronger influence on LPI in emerging markets than developed markets. Further, stronger effects for normative influence and status consumption on LPI were found in high power distance cultures. The role of seeking uniqueness was more salient and the role of normative influence was less salient in studies with a higher percentage of females. Conspicuous consumption was a stronger driver of LPI for fashion luxury products than other luxury products. The study also proposes distinct definitions of status and conspicuous consumption as there is often theoretical overlap of these constructs in literature.

Research limitations/implications

A meta-analytic review may leave blind-spots due to lack of sufficient number of studies investigating certain theoretically relevant moderators. The authors discuss these gaps, along with study limitations.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous study has conducted a meta-analytic review of the antecedents and moderators of LPI. With the extension of luxury demand beyond the developed countries in the West to the “new rich” consumers in the East, it becomes imperative to conduct a meta-analysis for a richer understanding of the drivers of luxury demand across different cultural orientations and market segmentations.
Identification and provenance determination of stone tesserae used in mosaics from Roman Celeia, Slovenia
Authors: Miletić Snježana , Šmuc Andrej , Dolenec Matej , Miler Miloš , Mladenovič Ajda , Gutman Levstik Maja , Dolenec Sabina
Published: December 2021

This study examined the provenance of stone tesserae from three Roman mosaics from Celje, Slovenia, using optical microscopy, X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Nine microfacies were distinguished. Miliolid limestones identified in the white tesserae, and mudstones/laminated wackestones in the black tesserae, suggest they originated from the Karst region. The sparry limestone in the yellow tesserae probably originates from the Mediterranean. The mudstone/wackestone with planktonic foraminifera in the red tesserae originates from an outcrop in southwestern Slovenia. Green tesserae tuffs are of local origin, whereas the white tuffs could originate from Italian Oligo‐Miocene volcanism rhyolites.
Uterus collectors: The case for reproductive justice for African American, Native American, and Hispanic American female victims of eugenics programs in the United States
Authors: Smaw Eric D.
Published: December 2021

In this article, I offer historical, jurisprudential, and moral analyses of racial eugenics campaigns against African American, Native American, and Hispanic American women. I argue that African American, Native American, and Hispanic American women were sterilized at a time in US history when doctors working for/with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Indian Health Service, and Medicaid engaged in forced and coerced sterilizations with impunity. As a result, Black and Brown women did not have equal protection of the laws nor unimpeded access to the courts. Therefore, they had few options for protecting themselves from harm or redressing their grievances against the state. For these reasons, I conclude that African American, Native American, and Hispanic American women who were sterilized without their knowledge or consent by doctors working for public health agencies ought to be awarded reparations by the United States Congress. Additionally, I conclude that federal prosecutors and the American Medical Association ought to bring criminal charges and professional sanctions against the doctors and healthcare workers involved. Finally, I conclude that medical professionals ought to engage in a nationwide effort to reconcile people in Black and Brown communities with the healthcare community in the United States.
Bruton's TK regulates myeloid cell recruitment during acute inflammation
Authors: Purvis Gareth S. D. , Aranda‐Tavio Haidee , Channon Keith M. , Greaves David R.
Published: December 2021

Background and Purpose

Bruton's TK (BTK) is a non‐receptor kinase best known for its role in B lymphocyte development that is critical for proliferation and survival of leukaemic cells in B‐cell malignancies. However, BTK is expressed in myeloid cells, particularly neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages where its inhibition has been reported to cause anti‐inflammatory properties.

Experimental Approach

We explored the role of BTK on migration of myeloid cells (neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages), in vitro using chemotaxis assays and in vivo using zymosan‐induced peritonitis as model systems.

Key Results

Using the zymosan‐induced peritonitis model of sterile inflammation, we demonstrated that acute inhibition of BTK prior to zymosan challenge reduced phosphorylation of BTK in circulating neutrophils and monocytes. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of BTK with ibrutinib specifically inhibited neutrophil and Ly6Chi monocytes, but not Ly6Clo monocyte recruitment to the peritoneum. X‐linked immunodeficient (XID) mice, which have a point mutation in the Btk gene, had reduced neutrophil and monocyte recruitment to the peritoneum following zymosan challenge. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of BTK signalling substantially reduced human monocyte and murine macrophage chemotaxis, to a range of clinically relevant chemoattractants (C5a and CCL2). We also demonstrated that inhibition of BTK in tissue resident macrophages significantly decreases chemokine secretion by reducing NF‐κB activity and Akt signalling.

Conclusion and Implications

Our work has identified a new role of BTK in regulating myeloid cell recruitment via two mechanisms, reducing monocyte/macrophages' ability to undergo chemotaxis and reducing chemokine secretion, via reduced NF‐κB and Akt activity in tissue resident macrophages.
Causal knowledge and children’s possibility judgments
Authors: Goulding Brandon W. , Stonehouse Emily Elizabeth , Friedman Ori
Published: December 2021

Children often say that strange and improbable events, like eating pickle‐flavored ice cream, are impossible. Two experiments explored whether these beliefs are explained by limits in children's causal knowledge. Participants were 423 predominantly White Canadian 4‐ to 7‐year‐olds (44% female) tested in 2020–2021. Providing children with causal information about ordinary events did not lead them to affirm that improbable events are possible, and they more often affirmed improbable events after merely learning that a similar event had occurred. However, children were most likely to affirm events if they learned how similar events happened (OR = 2.16). The findings suggest that knowledge of causal circumstances may only impact children's beliefs about the possibility after they are able to draw connections between potential events and known events.