Parent-offspring turn-taking dynamics influence parents’ song structure and elaboration in a singing primate

Parent-offspring interactions are essential to interpret animal social evolution and behavior, but their role in mediating acoustic communication in animals that interact vocally is still unclear. Increasing evidence shows that primate vocal communication is way more flexible than previously assumed, and research on this topic can provide further information on how the social environment shaped vocal plasticity during the evolution of the Primate order. Indris communicate through elaborated vocal emissions, usually termed songs. Songs are interactive vocal displays in which all members of the family group alternate their emissions, taking turns during chorusing events. We aimed to understand whether specific rules regulate the turn-taking of different group members and investigate the flexibility of indris’ vocal behavior when co-singing with their offspring. We found that social factors can influence the turn-taking organization in a chorus, as offspring were more likely to drop out from the parents’ duet than join in, and we speculate that overlap might signal competition by members of the same-sex. The duet between the reproductive pair was the most common type of singing organization, followed by a duet between mothers and sons and the triadic interaction between mother, father, and son. Interestingly, parents’ solo singing seems to stimulate offspring to vocalize, and we also found that mothers and fathers simplify, at least in part, song elaboration when chorusing with offspring. Our results indicate that indris can perform short-time adjustments to the number of co-emitters and their identity: our approach is advantageous in highlighting the multilevel influences on primate vocal flexibility. Moreover, it provides evidence that some aspects of our vocal plasticity were already present in the lemur lineage

Call me by my name: unravelling the taxonomy of the gulper shark genus Centrophorus in the Mediterranean Sea through an integrated taxonomic approach

The current shift of fishery efforts towards the deep sea is raising concern about the vulnerability of deep-water sharks, which are often poorly studied and characterized by problematic taxonomy. For instance, in the Mediterranean Sea the taxonomy of genus Centrophorus has not been clearly unravelled yet. Since proper identification of the species is fundamental for their correct assessment and management, this study aims at clarifying the taxonomy of this genus in the Mediterranean Basin through an integrated taxonomic approach. We analysed a total of 281 gulper sharks (Centrophorus spp.) collected from various Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean waters. Molecular data obtained from cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) and a portion of a nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA gene region (28S) have highlighted the presence of a unique mitochondrial clade in the Mediterranean Sea. The morphometric results confirmed these findings, supporting the presence of a unique and distinct morphological group comprising all Mediterranean individuals. The data strongly indicate the occurrence of a single Centrophorus species in the Mediterranean, ascribable to C. cf. uyato, and suggest the need for a revision of the systematics of the genus in the area

Effect of Algorithm-Based Therapy vs Usual Care on Clinical Success and Serious Adverse Events in Patients with Staphylococcal Bacteremia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: The appropriate duration of antibiotics for staphylococcal bacteremia is unknown. Objective: To test whether an algorithm that defines treatment duration for staphylococcal bacteremia vs standard of care provides noninferior efficacy without increasing severe adverse events. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized trial involving adults with staphylococcal bacteremia was conducted at 16 academic medical centers in the United States (n = 15) and Spain (n = 1) from April 2011 to March 2017. Patients were followed up for 42 days beyond end of therapy for those with Staphylococcus aureus and 28 days for those with coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia. Eligible patients were 18 years or older and had 1 or more blood cultures positive for S aureus or coagulase-negative staphylococci. Patients were excluded if they had known or suspected complicated infection at the time of randomization. Interventions: Patients were randomized to algorithm-based therapy (n = 255) or usual practice (n = 254). Diagnostic evaluation, antibiotic selection, and duration of therapy were predefined for the algorithm group, whereas clinicians caring for patients in the usual practice group had unrestricted choice of antibiotics, duration, and other aspects of clinical care. Main Outcomes and Measures: Coprimary outcomes were (1) clinical success, as determined by a blinded adjudication committee and tested for noninferiority within a 15% margin; and (2) serious adverse event rates in the intention-to-treat population, tested for superiority. The prespecified secondary outcome measure, tested for superiority, was antibiotic days among per-protocol patients with simple or uncomplicated bacteremia. Results: Among the 509 patients randomized (mean age, 56.6 [SD, 16.8] years; 226 [44.4%] women), 480 (94.3%) completed the trial. Clinical success was documented in 209 of 255 patients assigned to algorithm-based therapy and 207 of 254 randomized to usual practice (82.0% vs 81.5%; difference, 0.5% [1-sided 97.5% CI, -6.2% to ∞]). Serious adverse events were reported in 32.5% of algorithm-based therapy patients and 28.3% of usual practice patients (difference, 4.2% [95% CI, -3.8% to 12.2%]). Among per-protocol patients with simple or uncomplicated bacteremia, mean duration of therapy was 4.4 days for algorithm-based therapy vs 6.2 days for usual practice (difference, -1.8 days [95% CI, -3.1 to -0.6]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with staphylococcal bacteremia, the use of an algorithm to guide testing and treatment compared with usual care resulted in a noninferior rate of clinical success. Rates of serious adverse events were not significantly different, but interpretation is limited by wide confidence intervals. Further research is needed to assess the utility of the algorithm. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01191840

The Flow Grid: A technique for observing and measuring emotional state in children interacting with a flow machine

The presence of flow state was measured and observed in children playing with the MIROR-Improvisation prototype, an interactive reflexive musical system (IRMS). IRMS have been defined as \u2018flow machines\u2019 on account of their ability to imitate the style of the human playing a keyboard. Twenty-four children (4 and 8 years old) took part in 3 sessions playing a keyboard on 3 consecutive days. In each session, all children played the keyboard with and without the MIROR-Impro, alone and with a friend. One group of children played the system with a set-up in which the reply is more similar to the child's input (set-up Same). The other group played the system with the set-up Very Different, in which the reply is less similar to the child's input. The results show that the flow state is higher when the children play with MIROR-Impro, with the set-up Same and in 8-year-old children. These results would support the hypothesis that IRMS and reflexive interaction can generate an experience of well being and creativity. The flow grid worked in an effective way and it was possible to identify some aspects of the system that could be improved

Motivational Factors For IT Compliance With A Mandated IS: The Case Of A University

Theory of IT adoption relies on the concept of users’ choice. However, a substantial part of IT implementations is aimed at mandating adoption where usage is compulsory and non-usage has consequences. In these cases, full IT compliance is strived for, but seldom achieved. Previous research suggests that different patterns and relations assert itself in mandated settings. Thus, the factors influencing IT adoption (and IT compliance) in mandated settings are not the same as in voluntary settings. The existing literature however fails in identifying the motivational factors for IT compliance with a mandated IS. So far the discussion has to a large degree been reduced to what works best: carrot or stick? In this paper we extend the current literature of IT adoption for cases of mandated use. We do so by drawing on a case study of a mandated IS in a public university. This paper provides an initial framework for mandated IS that includes three contextual factors and five motivational factors which, in this case study, affected the level of IT compliance with a mandated IS

Data_Sheet_1_On the genetic diversity of Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) in the Mediterranean Sea.DOCX

The sustainable management and conservation of deep-sea species may be hampered by the paucity of data on their population structure and connectivity, in the face of ever-increasing fisheries pressure and other forms of impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. The rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa, is a deep-sea cartilaginous fish, reported worldwide in the past, but currently distributed only in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is currently experiencing high levels of mortality associated with by-catch. Its slow growth, low fecundity and late maturity make this species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, although little is known about processes of connectivity between ecoregions. This study utilized DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to investigate the population structure and demography of C. monstrosa both at the small (around the coasts of Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea) and at larger spatial scales (at the pan-Mediterranean level, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea). A total of 100 new sequences were obtained from specimens of Mediterranean origin, identifying 15 new haplotypes out of the 30 known so far for the species. Evidence of feeble but significant differentiation was detected among locations within the Tyrrhenian basin. Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the occurrence of three distinct haplogroups: the most common spread all over the Mediterranean, and the other two limited to the Western basin. Greater levels of genetic differentiation were found between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations which constituted two main genetic clusters, with no shared haplotypes. The two populations became separated at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, with a clear sign of demographic expansion during the same period. The rabbit fish constitutes an important exception to a general paradigm of deep-sea species being connected by high levels of gene flow and such results could be useful to implement current management strategies to conserve this vulnerable by-caught species.</p

Data_Sheet_3_On the genetic diversity of Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) in the Mediterranean Sea.DOCX

The sustainable management and conservation of deep-sea species may be hampered by the paucity of data on their population structure and connectivity, in the face of ever-increasing fisheries pressure and other forms of impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. The rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa, is a deep-sea cartilaginous fish, reported worldwide in the past, but currently distributed only in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is currently experiencing high levels of mortality associated with by-catch. Its slow growth, low fecundity and late maturity make this species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, although little is known about processes of connectivity between ecoregions. This study utilized DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to investigate the population structure and demography of C. monstrosa both at the small (around the coasts of Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea) and at larger spatial scales (at the pan-Mediterranean level, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea). A total of 100 new sequences were obtained from specimens of Mediterranean origin, identifying 15 new haplotypes out of the 30 known so far for the species. Evidence of feeble but significant differentiation was detected among locations within the Tyrrhenian basin. Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the occurrence of three distinct haplogroups: the most common spread all over the Mediterranean, and the other two limited to the Western basin. Greater levels of genetic differentiation were found between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations which constituted two main genetic clusters, with no shared haplotypes. The two populations became separated at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, with a clear sign of demographic expansion during the same period. The rabbit fish constitutes an important exception to a general paradigm of deep-sea species being connected by high levels of gene flow and such results could be useful to implement current management strategies to conserve this vulnerable by-caught species.</p

Table_1_On the genetic diversity of Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) in the Mediterranean Sea.XLSX

The sustainable management and conservation of deep-sea species may be hampered by the paucity of data on their population structure and connectivity, in the face of ever-increasing fisheries pressure and other forms of impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. The rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa, is a deep-sea cartilaginous fish, reported worldwide in the past, but currently distributed only in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is currently experiencing high levels of mortality associated with by-catch. Its slow growth, low fecundity and late maturity make this species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, although little is known about processes of connectivity between ecoregions. This study utilized DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to investigate the population structure and demography of C. monstrosa both at the small (around the coasts of Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea) and at larger spatial scales (at the pan-Mediterranean level, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea). A total of 100 new sequences were obtained from specimens of Mediterranean origin, identifying 15 new haplotypes out of the 30 known so far for the species. Evidence of feeble but significant differentiation was detected among locations within the Tyrrhenian basin. Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the occurrence of three distinct haplogroups: the most common spread all over the Mediterranean, and the other two limited to the Western basin. Greater levels of genetic differentiation were found between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations which constituted two main genetic clusters, with no shared haplotypes. The two populations became separated at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, with a clear sign of demographic expansion during the same period. The rabbit fish constitutes an important exception to a general paradigm of deep-sea species being connected by high levels of gene flow and such results could be useful to implement current management strategies to conserve this vulnerable by-caught species.</p

Data_Sheet_2_On the genetic diversity of Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) in the Mediterranean Sea.DOCX

The sustainable management and conservation of deep-sea species may be hampered by the paucity of data on their population structure and connectivity, in the face of ever-increasing fisheries pressure and other forms of impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. The rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa, is a deep-sea cartilaginous fish, reported worldwide in the past, but currently distributed only in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is currently experiencing high levels of mortality associated with by-catch. Its slow growth, low fecundity and late maturity make this species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, although little is known about processes of connectivity between ecoregions. This study utilized DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to investigate the population structure and demography of C. monstrosa both at the small (around the coasts of Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea) and at larger spatial scales (at the pan-Mediterranean level, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea). A total of 100 new sequences were obtained from specimens of Mediterranean origin, identifying 15 new haplotypes out of the 30 known so far for the species. Evidence of feeble but significant differentiation was detected among locations within the Tyrrhenian basin. Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the occurrence of three distinct haplogroups: the most common spread all over the Mediterranean, and the other two limited to the Western basin. Greater levels of genetic differentiation were found between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations which constituted two main genetic clusters, with no shared haplotypes. The two populations became separated at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, with a clear sign of demographic expansion during the same period. The rabbit fish constitutes an important exception to a general paradigm of deep-sea species being connected by high levels of gene flow and such results could be useful to implement current management strategies to conserve this vulnerable by-caught species.</p

Table_3_On the genetic diversity of Chimaera monstrosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali) in the Mediterranean Sea.xlsx

The sustainable management and conservation of deep-sea species may be hampered by the paucity of data on their population structure and connectivity, in the face of ever-increasing fisheries pressure and other forms of impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. The rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa, is a deep-sea cartilaginous fish, reported worldwide in the past, but currently distributed only in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is currently experiencing high levels of mortality associated with by-catch. Its slow growth, low fecundity and late maturity make this species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, although little is known about processes of connectivity between ecoregions. This study utilized DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to investigate the population structure and demography of C. monstrosa both at the small (around the coasts of Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea) and at larger spatial scales (at the pan-Mediterranean level, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea). A total of 100 new sequences were obtained from specimens of Mediterranean origin, identifying 15 new haplotypes out of the 30 known so far for the species. Evidence of feeble but significant differentiation was detected among locations within the Tyrrhenian basin. Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the occurrence of three distinct haplogroups: the most common spread all over the Mediterranean, and the other two limited to the Western basin. Greater levels of genetic differentiation were found between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations which constituted two main genetic clusters, with no shared haplotypes. The two populations became separated at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, with a clear sign of demographic expansion during the same period. The rabbit fish constitutes an important exception to a general paradigm of deep-sea species being connected by high levels of gene flow and such results could be useful to implement current management strategies to conserve this vulnerable by-caught species.</p