Comment on `Magic strains in face-centered and body-centered cubic lattices'

The six symmetry-related so-called magic strain tensors that transform a f.c.c. lattice (or a b.c.c. lattice) into itself, which have been reported recently by Boyer [Acta Cryst. (1989), A45, FC29-FC32] are not unique: an infinite number of displacement tensors can be constructed that transform one lattice into another, or into itself. There is no connection with fivefold symmetry, other than that in any f.c.c. crystal

On the neglected behavioural variation among neighbouring primate groups

Behavioural variation in primates has been well studied at the level of individuals by behavioural ecologists, and more recently at a population level by cultural biologists. Behavioural differences between groups of the same population, however, have rarely been considered. Here, I review intergroup variation in universally occurring behaviours between up to six neighbouring groups of vervet monkeys. Group differences have been found in several domains including foraging, conflicts, grooming and proximity. An exclusively ecological explanation for the observed variation appears implausible, as these monkey groups have overlapping home ranges, and their ecology is therefore very similar. The presence of a genetic bias underlying the observed group differences is also implausible, as males disperse between groups at sexual maturity and multiple times within their lives creating a continuous gene flow between the six groups. This leaves socially learned group-level traditions as the most plausible explanation. I discuss ways in which this working conclusion can be tested. The likely presence of group-level traditions in close proximity, well known in humans, has rarely been considered for non-human primates and adds an important dimension to research on conformity in non-human cultures

Subband coding of digital audio signals without loss of quality

A subband coding system for high quality digital audio signals is described. To achieve low bit rates at a high quality level, it exploits the simultaneous masking effect of the human ear. It is shown how this effect can be used in an adaptive bit-allocation scheme. The proposed approach has been applied in two coding systems, a complex system in which signal is split into 26 subbands, each approximately one third of an octave wide, and a simpler 20-band system. Both systems have been designed for coding stereophonic 16-bit compact disk signals with a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz. With the 26-band system high-quality results can be obtained at bit rates of 220 kb/s. With the 20-band system, similar results can be obtained at bit rates of 360 kb/

Periodic and aperiodic close packing: A spontaneous hard-sphere model

Constructing models of small aggregates of atoms or molecules from balloons and marbles

Reactions to infant death by wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: prolonged carrying, non-mother carrying, and partial maternal cannibalism.

Observations of dead infant carrying have been reported for many primate species, and researchers have proposed several hypotheses to explain this behaviour. However, despite being a relatively well-studied species, reports of dead infant carrying in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) remain scarce. Here we report 14 observations of dead infant carrying by female vervet monkeys in a population at Mawana Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Most of the females carried the dead infant for a day or less, but one female carried her infant for at least 14 days. In one case the maternal sister of a dead infant carried it after the death of their mother. We also report a case of mother-infant cannibalism: a female consumed part of her deceased infant's tail. Other post-mortem care-taking behaviours such as grooming, smelling and licking were also recorded. Of 97 recorded infant deaths in this study population since 2010, 14.4% are known to have elicited dead infant carrying, a proportion similar to that reported for other monkey species. We discuss our observations in relation to various hypotheses about this behaviour, including the post-parturition hormones hypothesis, learning to mother hypothesis, and unawareness of death hypothesis

Cultural Value Orientations and Christian Religiosity: On Moral Traditionalism, Authoritarianism, and Their Implications for Voting Behavior

Drawing upon problems of interpretation in political sociological research, this article questions the common practice of lumping together moral traditionalism and authoritarianism. First, it is demonstrated that of the two only moral traditionalism relates to religious orthodoxy. Second, the well-established strong correlation between both value orientations proves to be caused, in the case at hand solely by the circumstance that nontraditionalism and nonauthoritarianism go hand in hand; moral traditionalism and authoritarianism are almost unrelated. Third, moral traditionalists are shown to vote for Christian right-wing parties, whereas authoritarianism more commonly leads to a vote for a secular right-wing party. Fourth, whereas moral traditionalism proves decisive for the voting behavior of Christians, it is authoritarianism that underlies the non-Christian vote. These findings from The Netherlands (consistent with theories on cultural modernization) lead to the conclusion that attention should be paid to the distinction between these orientations because this aids the interpretation of research fi ndings, and because authoritarianism will probably gain a more central role in politics at the cost of moral traditionalism

The triad model of follower needs:theory and review

Humans have an evolved flexible followership psychology that enables them to select different leaders in different contexts, depending on their needs. We distinguish a triad of follower needs: (i) guidance into a shared direction, (ii) active protection against threats, and (iii) judicious dispute settlement. These needs relate to critical group coordination challenges described in biology and anthropology and to different evolutionary leadership theories. We describe the contexts, in which these needs emerge, the characteristics of leaders who meet these needs, and the potential risks of following these leaders. We end by discussing the potential of our theory to aid the understanding of leadership in modern organizations, female leadership, leader manipulation of needs, and individual differences between followers