A compact statistical model of the song syntax in Bengalese finch

Songs of many songbird species consist of variable sequences of a finite number of syllables. A common approach for characterizing the syntax of these complex syllable sequences is to use transition probabilities between the syllables. This is equivalent to the Markov model, in which each syllable is associated with one state, and the transition probabilities between the states do not depend on the state transition history. Here we analyze the song syntax in a Bengalese finch. We show that the Markov model fails to capture the statistical properties of the syllable sequences. Instead, a state transition model that accurately describes the statistics of the syllable sequences includes adaptation of the self-transition probabilities when states are repeatedly revisited, and allows associations of more than one state to the same syllable. Such a model does not increase the model complexity significantly. Mathematically, the model is a partially observable Markov model with adaptation (POMMA). The success of the POMMA supports the branching chain network hypothesis of how syntax is controlled within the premotor song nucleus HVC, and suggests that adaptation and many-to-one mapping from neural substrates to syllables are important features of the neural control of complex song syntax

A Review of Surrogate Assisted Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithms

Multiobjective evolutionary algorithms have incorporated surrogate models in order to reduce the number of required evaluations to approximate the Pareto front of computationally expensive multiobjective optimization problems. Currently, few works have reviewed the state of the art in this topic. However, the existing reviews have focused on classifying the evolutionary multiobjective optimization algorithms with respect to the type of underlying surrogate model. In this paper, we center our focus on classifying multiobjective evolutionary algorithms with respect to their integration with surrogate models. This interaction has led us to classify similar approaches and identify advantages and disadvantages of each class

A Review of Surrogate Assisted Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithms

Multiobjective evolutionary algorithms have incorporated surrogate models in order to reduce the number of required evaluations to approximate the Pareto front of computationally expensive multiobjective optimization problems. Currently, few works have reviewed the state of the art in this topic. However, the existing reviews have focused on classifying the evolutionary multiobjective optimization algorithms with respect to the type of underlying surrogate model. In this paper, we center our focus on classifying multiobjective evolutionary algorithms with respect to their integration with surrogate models. This interaction has led us to classify similar approaches and identify advantages and disadvantages of each class

Science Journalism in Ghana: A Study of Journalists Who Cover Science

Science journalism has been studied from the perspectives of science journalists in the West. However, studies of science journalism from the perspectives of general reporters in developing or developed countries are scarce. This study was a survey of general reporters in Ghana belonging to the Ghana Journalists Association. In all, 151 members responded to a self-administered questionnaire that the researcher delivered to their worksites and a central location. Respondents were asked mainly about their demographic and professional characteristics, sources used for reporting science, number of science stories reported in the past 12 months, topics of science reporting interest, factors motivating or serving as barriers to science reporting, and the future of science journalism in Ghana. Data were analyzed using statistical tools and content analysis. The demographic and professional characteristics resembled those found previously in Ghana and elsewhere. The most commonly cited format of science journalism training was workshops or seminars after graduation. Health professionals and scientists were perceived as very important sources for science stories, and the respondents recalled interviewing them more frequently than others. Generally, respondents reported writing more science news stories than science features. There was an inverse correlation between the number of years spent in journalism and the number of science features reported (p = 0.017). Health science was the most commonly cited topic of reporting interest. Most respondents indicated that training in science journalism or access to scientific research findings would motivate them to report science more. Many cited lack of training in science reporting or lack of contact information for scientific researchers as barriers to science reporting. Many respondents said the current status of science journalism in Ghana is low, and most favored increasing the amount of science journalism, in part to promote public literacy in science. The findings indicate that Ghana should consider offering more science journalism training, particularly in journalism schools, and should promote ready access of journalists to research findings and to contact information of scientific researchers

The role of Australian native wildlife in Q fever

Q fever is a zoonosis caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, mainly affecting people in close contact with domestic ruminants, which are regarded as the main source of human disease. In Australia Q fever vaccination (QFV) is recommended for traditional at-risk groups including meat and livestock industry workers, shearers and veterinarians. Australian native wildlife (in particular kangaroos) have also been implicated as a source of Q fever for humans. This research aimed to investigate this further via three arms including: a C. burnetii seroprevalence study in Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWR); a knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) online survey in AWR; and a molecular investigation of tissue samples collected opportunistically from native wildlife species for the presence of C. burnetii DNA. Results of the seroprevalence study and KAP online survey demonstrated that AWR are at increased risk of C. burnetii exposure and developing Q fever. Unvaccinated AWR were more likely to become infected with C. burnetii and develop Q fever through exposure to traditional sources such as domestic ruminants, or associations with veterinary clinics whilst rehabilitating wildlife. However substantial shortfalls in vaccine uptake in AWR were identified. A low C. burnetii DNA prevalence was observed in the wildlife examined in this study who resided mostly in New South Wales. Two animals (koala and kangaroo) were classified as positive for the presence of C. burnetii DNA which amplified at relatively low concentrations. These findings suggest that macropods and other Australian native wildlife species may not be a major source of C. burnetii for humans in comparison to domestic ruminants. However given the low infectious dose and environmental stability of C. burnetii, and the potentially severe consequences of C. burnetii infection, QFV is strongly recommended for AWR, as is the implementation of measures to educate and improve vaccine uptake in this population

Beauty and Esthetics. Meanings of an Idea and Concept of the Senses. An Introduction to an Esthetic Communication Concept Facing the Perspectives Of Its Theory, History, and Cultural Traditions of the Beautiful.

When we ask for the definitions and forms of esthetics from a post-modern perspective, we must take into account that the perspective today is a re-constructive one allowing us to trace back historically, but also allowing various forms of research such as empirical research, or quantitative and qualitative research. This book is devided into chapters. Each of them has a different approach towards esthetics according to the definition of esthetics as a theoretical field, esthetics as a phenomenon of beauty, and esthetics as a specific phenomenon in a certain cultural context. We will focus on the contemporary state of research regarding esthetics from branches of the humanities and natural sciences. Our interest here is to join the classical theoretical terminology of esthetics derived from the humanities with contemporary concepts of research also not related to the humanities

Social Sciences and Cultural Studies

This is a unique and groundbreaking collection of questions and answers coming from higher education institutions on diverse fields and across a wide spectrum of countries and cultures. It creates routes for further innovation, collaboration amidst the Sciences (both Natural and Social) and the Humanities and the private and the public sectors of society. The chapters speak across socio-cultural concerns, education, welfare and artistic sectors under the common desire for direct responses in more effective ways by means of interaction across societal structures

Phylogeny and evolution of Monoplacophora and Mollusca

The Mollusca comprises eight classes which are highly diverse in their morphology as well as in molecular appearance. The class level relationships in molluscs were hotly debated during decades and are still under discussion as there is no overall support for one single concept. Morphological and recent phylogenomic studies support the hypothesis of Aculifera (Solenogastres, Caudofoveata and Polyplacophora) and summarize Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Monoplacophora and Scaphopoda as the Conchifera. Alternative concepts as Testaria (Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Monoplacophora, Scaphopoda and Polyplacophora) or Serialia (Monoplacophora + Polyplacophora) were suggested in the past based on morphological analyses (Testaria) or mainly molecular evidence (Serialia). In order to bring resolution to the class relationships and the early evolution within Mollusca we compiled several comprehensive taxon sets comprising different molecular datasets: combined nuclear and mitochondrial markers obtained via Sanger sequencing (“standard markers”), mitochondrial genomes (analyzing the phylogenetic information of the sequence data as well as comparing the gene arrangements) and phylogenomic data obtained via Next Generation Sequencing. We were able to generate novel data of several species of the elusive class Monoplacophora. Based on the set of standard markers, we found support for Serialia whereas the phylogenomic approach leads to Aculifera and Conchifera, providing first molecular evidence for Monoplacophora sister to Cephalopoda plus other conchiferans; a clade of Gastropoda and Scaphopoda is also supported. Both phylogenetic analyses were used for time estimations and resulted in congruent ages for the molluscan stem (Precambrian) and the diversification of Mollusca (584Mya). We were the first to present a complete mitochondrial genome of a monoplacophoran species ever. Analyzing the mitochondrial gene arrangements we were able to detect potential synapomorphies for Mollusca. Standard marker analyses on comprehensive taxon sets provided novel phylogenetic hypotheses on several molluscan subgroups, such as chitons and gastropods, in particular heterobranchs, challenging mitogenomic approaches and results in the latter. Overall, our studies addressed the phylogeny and evolution of Mollusca and subgroups with a variety of markers and methods and helped to pave the way from using multilocus markers and mitogenomics towards whole genomes

Comparative Analysis of Student Learning: Technical, Methodological and Result Assessing of PISA-OECD and INVALSI-Italian Systems .

PISA is the most extensive international survey promoted by the OECD in the field of education, which measures the skills of fifteen-year-old students from more than 80 participating countries every three years. INVALSI are written tests carried out every year by all Italian students in some key moments of the school cycle, to evaluate the levels of some fundamental skills in Italian, Mathematics and English. Our comparison is made up to 2018, the last year of the PISA-OECD survey, even if INVALSI was carried out for the last edition in 2022. Our analysis focuses attention on the common part of the reference populations, which are the 15-year-old students of the 2nd class of secondary schools of II degree, where both sources give a similar picture of the students