How Cultural Transmission Through Objects Impacts Inferences About Cultural Evolution

The cross-fertilisation between biological and cultural evolution has led to an extensive borrowing of key concepts, theories, and statistical methods for studying temporal variation in the frequency of cultural variants. Archaeologists have been among the front-runners of those engaging with this endeavour, and the last 2 decades have seen a number of case studies where modes of social learning were inferred from the changing frequencies of artefacts. Here, we employ a simulation model to review and examine under-discussed assumptions shared by many of these applications on the nature of what constitutes the ‘population’ under study. We specifically ask (1) whether cultural transmission via ‘objects’ (i.e. public manifestations of cultural traits) generates distinct patterns from those expected from direct transmission between individuals and (2) whether basing inference on the frequency of objects rather than on the frequency of mental representations underlying the production of those objects may lead to biased interpretations. Our results show that the rate at which ideational cultural traits are embedded in objects, and shared as such, has a measurable impact on how we infer cultural transmission processes when analysing frequency-based archaeological data. At the same time, when cultural transmission is entirely mediated by the material representation of ideas, we argue that copying error should be interpreted as a two-step process which may occur in either one or both of embedding information in objects and retrieving it from them

How Cultural Transmission Through Objects Impacts Inferences About Cultural Evolution

The cross-fertilisation between biological and cultural evolution has led to an extensive borrowing of key concepts, theories, and statistical methods for studying temporal variation in the frequency of cultural variants. Archaeologists have been among the front-runners of those engaging with this endeavour, and the last 2 decades have seen a number of case studies where modes of social learning were inferred from the changing frequencies of artefacts. Here, we employ a simulation model to review and examine under-discussed assumptions shared by many of these applications on the nature of what constitutes the 'population' under study. We specifically ask (1) whether cultural transmission via 'objects' (i.e. public manifestations of cultural traits) generates distinct patterns from those expected from direct transmission between individuals and (2) whether basing inference on the frequency of objects rather than on the frequency of mental representations underlying the production of those objects may lead to biased interpretations. Our results show that the rate at which ideational cultural traits are embedded in objects, and shared as such, has a measurable impact on how we infer cultural transmission processes when analysing frequency-based archaeological data. At the same time, when cultural transmission is entirely mediated by the material representation of ideas, we argue that copying error should be interpreted as a two-step process which may occur in either one or both of embedding information in objects and retrieving it from them

Debris flows in the eastern Italian Alps: seasonality and atmospheric circulation patterns

Abstract. The work examines the seasonality and large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns associated with debris-flow occurrence in the Trentino–Alto Adige region (eastern Italian Alps). Analysis is based on classification algorithms applied to a uniquely dense archive of debris flows and hourly rain gauge precipitation series covering the period 2000–2009. Results highlight the seasonal and synoptic forcing patterns linked to debris flows in the study area. Summer and fall season account for 92% of the debris flows in the record, while atmospheric circulation characterized by zonal west, mixed and meridional south and southeast (SE–S) patterns account for 80%. Both seasonal and circulation patterns exhibit geographical preference. In the case of seasonality, there is a strong north–south separation of summer–fall dominance, while spatial distribution of dominant circulation patterns exhibits clustering, with both zonal west and mixed patterns prevailing in the northwest and central east part of the region, while the southern part relates to meridional south and southeast pattern. Seasonal and synoptic pattern dependence is pronounced also on the debris-flow-triggering rainfall properties. Examination of rainfall intensity–duration thresholds derived for different data classes (according to season and synoptic pattern) revealed a distinct variability in estimated thresholds. These findings imply a certain control on debris-flow events and can therefore be used to improve existing alert systems

Noi Francesco Martinengo per la serenissima Repubblica di Venezia ec. podestà, e capitano di Crema, e suo distretto

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 45 cm Data di emanzione in calce: Crema 17. maggio 1773 Data di stampa presunta: 1773 (emanazione) Incipit del testo: Demandata dall'eccellentiss. Senato con venerato decreto 13. febbraio prossimo passato l'autorità al magistrato eccellentiss. de' signori sopr' intendenti alle decime del clero Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilogr. (leone di San Marco)

Noi Anzolo Zustinian per la serenissima Repubblica di Venezia ec. podestà, e capitano di Crema, e sua giurisdizione proclama in proposito delle cerche per il riscato de' poveri schiavi

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 41 cm Data di emanazione in calce: Crema 20 febbraio 1770 Data di pubblicazione: 22 febbraio 1771 Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilogr. (Leone di S. Marco) Iniziale xilogr

Noi Anzolo Zustinian per la serenissima Repubblica di Venezia ec. podestà, e capitano di Crema, e capitanio di Crema, e sua giurisdizione

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 44 cm Data di emanazione in calce: 14 febbraio 1770 Data di pubblicazione in calce: 15 febbraio 1771 Data di stampa presunta: 1771 (pubblicazione) Incipit del testo: Prescrivendo gli eccellentissimi signori Sindici inquisitori in terra ferma nelle loro venerate lettere 3. corrente, che siano liquidati fondatamente tutti li debiti di cere Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilogr. (Leone di S. Marco) Iniziale xilogr

Noi Anzolo Zustinian per la serenissima Repubblica di Venezia ec. podestà, e capitano di Crema, e capitanio di Crema, e sua giurisdizione

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 44 cm Data di emanazione in calce: 17. luglio 1770 Data di stampa presunta: 1770 (emanazione) Incipit del testo: Tutto che sia stata di tempo in tempo inibita per tutto lo Stato serenissimo ogni genere di questua Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilogr. (Leone di S. Marco) Iniziale xilogr

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation restores upper limb sensory-motor functions and body representations in chronic stroke survivors

Background: A conventional treatment outcome is suboptimal for sensory impairments in stroke patients. Novel approaches based on electrical stimulation or robotics are proposed as an adjuvant for rehabilitation, though their efficacy for motor, sensory, and body representation recovery have not been tested. Methods: Sixty chronic stroke patients with unilateral motor deficits were included in a pseudo-randomized open-label multi-arm control trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03349138). We tested the effects of a robotic glove (GloReha [GR]) and a new neuromuscular electrical stimulation system (Helping Hand [HH]) and compared them with conventional treatment (CT) in restoring motor and sensory functions and the affected limb perception. HH was designed to concurrently deliver peripheral motor activation and enhanced cutaneous sensation. Patients were split in four dose-matched groups: CT, GR, HH, and GRHH (receiving 50% GR and 50% HH). Assessments were performed at inclusion, halfway, end of treatment (week 9), and follow-up (week 13). Findings: HH provided an earlier benefit, quantified by the Motricity Index (MI), than GR. At the end of the treatment, the amelioration was higher in groups GRHH and HH and extended to somatosensory functions. These benefits persisted at the follow-up. GRHH and HH also improved the perceived dimensions and altered feeling toward the affected limb. Interestingly, the reduction of altered feelings correlated with MI improvements and depended on the amount of HH. Conclusions: We suggest that HH concurrently stimulates sensory and motor systems by generating an enhanced cutaneous sensation, coherent in location with the elicited motor recruitment, leading to ameliorated sensorimotor functions and bodily perceptions in stroke patients. Funding: This work was supported by a Foundation advised by CARIGEST, by Fondazione CARIPLO, by the SNSF NCCR Robotics, and by the Bertarelli Foundation