Getting to know you: Accuracy and error in judgments of character

Character judgments play an important role in our everyday lives. However, decades of empirical research on trait attribution suggest that the cognitive processes that generate these judgments are prone to a number of biases and cognitive distortions. This gives rise to a skeptical worry about the epistemic foundations of everyday characterological beliefs that has deeply disturbing and alienating consequences. In this paper, I argue that this skeptical worry is misplaced: under the appropriate informational conditions, our everyday character-trait judgments are in fact quite trustworthy. I then propose a mindreading-based model of the socio-cognitive processes underlying trait attribution that explains both why these judgments are initially unreliable, and how they eventually become more accurate

Nonlinear modal interactions in clamped-clamped mechanical resonators

A theoretical and experimental investigation is presented on the intermodal coupling between the flexural vibration modes of a single clamped-clamped beam. Nonlinear coupling allows an arbitrary flexural mode to be used as a self-detector for the amplitude of another mode, presenting a method to measure the energy stored in a specific resonance mode. Experimentally observed complex nonlinear dynamics of the coupled modes are quantitatively captured by a model which couples the modes via the beam extension; the same mechanism is responsible for the well-known Duffing nonlinearity in clamped-clamped beams.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

The validity of the brief version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale.

The Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale [FNE; J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 33 (1969) 448] is a commonly used measure of social anxiety. A brief version of the scale (FNEB) is available for convenient administration. Despite being widely advocated for use, the psychometric properties of the FNEB have not been evaluated with clinically anxious samples. The present study addressed the reliability and validity of the FNEB in a clinical sample of individuals with either social phobia (n = 82) or panic disorder (n = 99) presenting for treatment. Factor analysis supported the construct validity of the FNEB. The validity of the FNEB was further demonstrated through significant correlations with social avoidance and depression, and non-significant correlations with agoraphobic avoidance and demographic variables. The scale obtained excellent inter-item reliability (alpha = .97) and 2-week test-retest reliability (r = .94). Discriminant function analysis also supported validity of the FNEB. For example, individuals with social phobia scored significantly higher on the FNEB than those with panic disorder and a group of non-psychiatric community controls (n = 30). The FNEB was sensitive to pre- to post-CBT changes in both social anxiety and panic disorder, and changes on the FNEB correlated significantly with other measures of treatment responsiveness, such as reductions in somatic arousal, depression and other anxiety symptomatology. These research findings strongly support the validity of the FNEB and its clinical utility as an outcome measure in social anxiety treatment

Seasonal changes of sources and volatility of carbonaceous aerosol at urban, coastal and forest sites in Eastern Europe (Lithuania)

We measured stable carbon isotope ratios of total carbon (TC) and organic carbon (OC) in fine carbonaceous aerosol fraction sampled in August and September 2013 at urban, coastal and forest sites in Lithuania. δ13C values of TC for all three sites over the whole measurement period varied from −29.3 to −26.6‰, which is in the range of particles emitted by fossil fuel combustion in Eastern Europe. The isotopic composition at the forest and coastal site showed a similar variation during two contrasting pollution periods. δ13C values in the clean period were more variable, whereas the polluted period was characterized by a gradual enrichment in δ13C compared to the clean period. In the polluted period air masses originated from southern, southeastern or southwestern direction, indicating long-range transport of pollutants from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe to Lithuania. Oxidative processing during long-range transport or the different source signatures (e.g., enriched 13C signature of gasoline used in Western Europe vs. Eastern Europe) could cause the less negative δ13COC values during the polluted episode. δ13C for OC desorbed from the filter samples was separately measured during three different temperature steps (200 °C, 350 °C and 650 °C). OC desorbed at 200 °C had the most depleted 13C signature of around −29‰ at all three sites. A comparison with previously published data measured during the winter at the same sites showed that both TC and OC had less negative δ13C values in winter than in summer, which can be explained by the contribution of biomass/coal burning sources in winter. At the urban site δ13C of OC did not change much with increasing desorption temperature in winter, which is typical for primary sources, but in the summer δ13C of OC was depleted for lower desorption temperatures, possibly due to the influence of SOA formation. A higher fraction of more refractory OC in summer compared to winter-time suggests active photochemical processing of the primary organic aerosol as an important process at all three sites

Effects of Synaptic and Myelin Plasticity on Learning in a Network of Kuramoto Phase Oscillators

Models of learning typically focus on synaptic plasticity. However, learning is the result of both synaptic and myelin plasticity. Specifically, synaptic changes often co-occur and interact with myelin changes, leading to complex dynamic interactions between these processes. Here, we investigate the implications of these interactions for the coupling behavior of a system of Kuramoto oscillators. To that end, we construct a fully connected, one-dimensional ring network of phase oscillators whose coupling strength (reflecting synaptic strength) as well as conduction velocity (reflecting myelination) are each regulated by a Hebbian learning rule. We evaluate the behavior of the system in terms of structural (pairwise connection strength and conduction velocity) and functional connectivity (local and global synchronization behavior). We find that for conditions in which a system limited to synaptic plasticity develops two distinct clusters both structurally and functionally, additional adaptive myelination allows for functional communication across these structural clusters. Hence, dynamic conduction velocity permits the functional integration of structurally segregated clusters. Our results confirm that network states following learning may be different when myelin plasticity is considered in addition to synaptic plasticity, pointing towards the relevance of integrating both factors in computational models of learning.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figures This work is submitted in Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Scienc

Is green space in the living environment associated with people's feelings of social safety?

Abstract. The authors investigate whether the percentage of green space in people's living environ- ment affects their feelings of social safety positively or negatively. More specifically they investigate the extent to which this relationship varies between urban and rural areas, between groups in the community that can be identified as more or less vulnerable, and the extent to which different types of green space exert different influences. The study includes 83736 Dutch citizens who were interviewed about their feelings of social safety. The percentage of green space in the living environment of each respondent was calculated, and data analysed by use of a three-level latent variable model, controlled for individual and environmental background characteristics. The analyses suggest that more green space in people's living environment is associated with enhanced feelings of social safetyöexcept in very strongly urban areas, where enclosed green spaces are associated with reduced feelings of social safety. Contrary to the common image of green space as a dangerous hiding place for criminal activity which causes feelings of insecurity, the results suggest that green space generally enhances feelings of social safety. The results also suggest, however, that green space in the most urban areas is a matter of concern with respect to social safety.

The properties of the brightest Lyα emitters at z ∼ 5.7

We use deep Very Large Telescope (VLT) optical and near-infrared spectroscopy and deep Spitzer/IRAC imaging to examine the properties of two of the most luminous Lyα emitters at z= 5.7. The continuum redward of the Lyα line is clearly detected in both objects, thus facilitating a relatively accurate measurement (10-20 per cent uncertainties) of the observed rest-frame equivalent widths, which are around 160 Å for both objects. Through detailed modelling of the profile of the Lyα line with a 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code, we estimate the intrinsic rest-frame equivalent width of Lyα and find values that are around 300 Å, which is at the upper end of the range allowed for very young, moderately metal-poor star-forming galaxies. However, the uncertainties are large and values as high as 700 Å are permitted by the data. Both Lyα emitters are detected at 3.6 m in deep images taken with the Spitzer Space Telescope. We use these measurements, the measurement of the continuum redward of Lyα and other photometry to constrain the spectral energy distributions of these very luminous Lyα emitters and to compare them with three similar Lyα emitters from the literature. The contribution from nebular emission is included in our models: excluding it results in significantly higher masses. Four of the five Lyα emitters have masses of the order of ∼109 M⊙ and fairly high specific star formation rates (≳10-100 Gyr−1). While our two Lyα emitters appear similar in terms of the observed Lyα rest-frame equivalent width, they are quite distinct from each other in terms of age, mass and star formation history. Evidence for dust is found in all objects, and emission from nebular lines often makes a dominant contribution to the rest-frame 3.6 m flux. Rich in emission lines, these objects are prime targets for the next generation of extremely large telescopes, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA

Anti-CRISPR Phages Cooperate to Overcome CRISPR-Cas Immunity

This is the final version of the article. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Some phages encode anti-CRISPR (acr) genes, which antagonize bacterial CRISPR-Cas immune systems by binding components of its machinery, but it is less clear how deployment of these acr genes impacts phage replication and epidemiology. Here, we demonstrate that bacteria with CRISPR-Cas resistance are still partially immune to Acr-encoding phage. As a consequence, Acr-phages often need to cooperate in order to overcome CRISPR resistance, with a first phage blocking the host CRISPR-Cas immune system to allow a second Acr-phage to successfully replicate. This cooperation leads to epidemiological tipping points in which the initial density of Acr-phage tips the balance from phage extinction to a phage epidemic. Furthermore, both higher levels of CRISPR-Cas immunity and weaker Acr activities shift the tipping points toward higher initial phage densities. Collectively, these data help elucidate how interactions between phage-encoded immune suppressors and the CRISPR systems they target shape bacteria-phage population dynamics.M.L. was supported by funding from the Wellcome Trust (https://wellcome.ac.uk) (109776/Z/15/Z), which was awarded to E.R.W. E.R.W. further acknowledges the Natural Environment Research Council (https://nerc.ukri.org) (NE/M018350/1), the BBSRC (BB/N017412/1), and the European Research Council (https://erc.europa.eu) (ERC-STG-2016-714478 - EVOIMMECH) for funding. S.v.H. acknowledges funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions; https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/) of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 (REA grant agreement no. 660039) and from the BBSRC (BB/R010781/1). S.G. acknowledges funding (Visiting Professorship) from the Leverhulme Trust. A.B. acknowledges funding from the Royal Society. The authors thank Olivier Fradet for experimental contributions and Adair Borges and Joe Bondy-Denomy (UCSF) for providing DMS3mvir-AcrIF4 and phage JBD26

Variability in the durability of CRISPR-Cas immunity

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Royal Society via the DOI in this record.The durability of host resistance is challenged by the ability of pathogens to escape the defence of their hosts. Understanding the variability in the durability of host resistance is of paramount importance for designing more effective control strategies against infectious diseases. Here, we study the durability of various clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas (CRISPR-Cas) alleles of the bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus against lytic phages. We found substantial variability in durability among different resistant bacteria. Since the escape of the phage is driven by a mutation in the phage sequence targeted by CRISPR-Cas, we explored the fitness costs associated with these escape mutations. We found that, on average, escape mutations decrease the fitness of the phage. Yet, the magnitude of this fitness cost does not predict the durability of CRISPR-Cas immunity. We contend that this variability in the durability of resistance may be because of variations in phage mutation rate or in the proportion of lethal mutations across the phage genome. These results have important implications on the coevolutionary dynamics between bacteria and phages and for the optimal deployment of resistance strategies against pathogens and pests. Understanding the durability of CRISPR-Cas immunity may also help develop more effective gene-drive strategies based on CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The ecology and evolution of prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems'.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)European CommissionEuropean Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)Leverhulme TrustNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canad

Evolutionary emergence of infectious diseases in heterogeneous host populations

This is the final version. Available from Public Library of Science via the DOI in this record.The emergence and re-emergence of pathogens remains a major public health concern. Unfortunately, when and where pathogens will (re-)emerge is notoriously difficult to predict, as the erratic nature of those events is reinforced by the stochastic nature of pathogen evolution during the early phase of an epidemic. For instance, mutations allowing pathogens to escape host resistance may boost pathogen spread and promote emergence. Yet, the ecological factors that govern such evolutionary emergence remain elusive because of the lack of ecological realism of current theoretical frameworks and the difficulty of experimentally testing their predictions. Here, we develop a theoretical model to explore the effects of the heterogeneity of the host population on the probability of pathogen emergence, with or without pathogen evolution. We show that evolutionary emergence and the spread of escape mutations in the pathogen population is more likely to occur when the host population contains an intermediate proportion of resistant hosts. We also show that the probability of pathogen emergence rapidly declines with the diversity of resistance in the host population. Experimental tests using lytic bacteriophages infecting their bacterial hosts containing Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat and CRISPR-associated (CRISPR-Cas) immune defenses confirm these theoretical predictions. These results suggest effective strategies for cross-species spillover and for the management of emerging infectious diseases.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)Wellcome TrustBiotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)European CommissionMarie Curie ActionsNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaLeverhulme Trus