Call Cultures in Orang-Utans?

BACKGROUND: Several studies suggested great ape cultures, arguing that human cumulative culture presumably evolved from such a foundation. These focused on conspicuous behaviours, and showed rich geographic variation, which could not be attributed to known ecological or genetic differences. Although geographic variation within call types (accents) has previously been reported for orang-utans and other primate species, we examine geographic variation in the presence/absence of discrete call types (dialects). Because orang-utans have been shown to have geographic variation that is not completely explicable by genetic or ecological factors we hypothesized that this will be similar in the call domain and predict that discrete call type variation between populations will be found. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examined long-term behavioural data from five orang-utan populations and collected fecal samples for genetic analyses. We show that there is geographic variation in the presence of discrete types of calls. In exactly the same behavioural context (nest building and infant retrieval), individuals in different wild populations customarily emit either qualitatively different calls or calls in some but not in others. By comparing patterns in call-type and genetic similarity, we suggest that the observed variation is not likely to be explained by genetic or ecological differences. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These results are consistent with the potential presence of 'call cultures' and suggest that wild orang-utans possess the ability to invent arbitrary calls, which spread through social learning. These findings differ substantially from those that have been reported for primates before. First, the results reported here are on dialect and not on accent. Second, this study presents cases of production learning whereas most primate studies on vocal learning were cases of contextual learning. We conclude with speculating on how these findings might assist in bridging the gap between vocal communication in non-human primates and human speech

Visual field loss associated with vigabatrin: Quantification and relation to dosage

Purpose: To describe the correlation between visual field loss and the duration, dosage. and total amount of vigabatrin (VGB) medication in a group of patients with epilepsy. Co-medication of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and compliance were also studied. Methods: Ninety-two patients (53 male and 39 female) taking VGB medication in the past or the present, attending the Outpatient Epilepsy Clinic in Utrecht, were examined with the Goldmann perimeter. The amount of visual field loss was calculated by the Esterman grid method and by a new method, with which the percentage surface loss of the visual field is measured. A complete drug history was compiled, specifying the amount and duration of VGB medication. Concomitant AED medication was noted. Serum levels of AEDs were determined. Results: Linear regression showed the total amount of VGB as the most significant parameter to predict visual field loss (p <0.001). Further, men were more affected than women (p = 0.026). Compliance was good, and other AEDs did not influence the results. Conclusions: Because prolonged use of VGB medication is correlated with the amount of visual field loss, VGB should be prescribed only when there are no alternatives. In such cases, we recommend an examination of the peripheral visual field before starting therapy and a repeated examination every 6 months

What the UK public believes causes obesity, and what they want to do about it:a cross-sectional study

Increases in the prevalence of obesity have led to calls for policy interventions in the United Kingdom. Little is known, however, about how the public explains overweight, or their support for interventions. Our research team recruited 500 adults (greater than or equal to18 years of age) across the United Kingdom to complete a cross-sectional survey asking about beliefs concerning the causes of excess weight, and support for particular policy interventions. Respondents completed questionnaires in their homes with the assistance of an interviewer. Results suggested that support for policy interventions was greatest when responsibility was attributed to factors beyond individual control, with support for child-focused interventions particularly high. The relationship is more complex than previous studies suggest, as believing in the over-availability of unhealthy foods predicted higher support for policy interventions, whereas beliefs in structural explanations, such as cost, had little influence on support. Recognition of this complexity may help to design more effective future policies to tackle obesity

Responsibility as an Obstacle to Good Policy: The Case of Lifestyle Related Disease

People are causally responsible for many of their own problems. Indeed, in the arena of healthcare, up to 40% of premature deaths are preventable by changes to lifestyle (Yoon et al. 2014). The biggest causes of lifestyle-related morbidity and mortality are behaviors which are widely known to be unhealthy (smoking, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise and excessive drinking). These facts make the following inference prima facie plausible: if agents are causally responsible for their ill-health, and the causes are voluntary behaviors they know to be linked to ill-health, they are also morally responsible for their ill-health. That conclusion need not be taken to entail that they are not entitled to healthcare, say. However, it (plausibly) has some practical import. It may, for instance, bear on how their entitlements are to be weighed against those of others who are not responsible for their ill-health, when it comes to the allocation of scarce resources