When Learners Surpass Their Models: Mathematical Modeling of Learning from an Inconsistent Source

It has been reported in the literature that both adults and children can, to a different degree, modify and regularize the often-inconsistent linguistic input they receive. We present a new algorithm to model and investigate the learning process of a learner mastering a set of (grammatical or lexical) forms from an inconsistent source. The algorithm is related to reinforcement learning and drift–diffusion models of decision making, and possesses several psychologically relevant properties such as fidelity, robustness, discounting, and computational simplicity. It demonstrates how a learner can successfully learn from or even surpass its imperfect source. We use the data collected by Singleton and Newport (Cognit Psychol 49(4):370–407, 2004) on the performance of a 7-year-boy Simon, who mastered the American Sign Language (ASL) by learning it from his parents, both of whom were imperfect speakers of ASL. We show that the algorithm possesses a frequency boosting property, whereby the frequency of the most common form of the source is increased by the learner. We also explain several key features of Simon’s ASL.     

The role of cross-fostering in sign language studies of chimpanzees

In cross-fostering, the young of one species are reared by adults of another. In our cross-fostering laboratory, two-way communication by means of American Sign Language (ASL) brought the rearing conditions for chimpanzees much closer to those of human children than was possible in earlier studies. At the same time, ASL provided a means by which chimpanzees could express their intelligence in ways that permit closer comparisons with human children. Cross-fostered chimpanzees can communicate with human observers whose only source of information is the American Sign Language (ASL) signs of the chimpanzees. In order to show that the chimpanzees could name natural language categories — that the sign DOG could refer to any dog, FLOWER to any flower, SHOE to any shoe — each test trial was a first trial in that tests slides were presented only once. Analysis of errors showed that two aspects of the signs, gestural form and conceptual category, governed the distribution of errors. Like human adults and human children who sign, the chimpanzees modulated their signs in meaningful ways. Observations in field notes, video tape records, and systematic experiments illustrate how these modulations were related to the verbal and nonverbal, context and how they made signs more visible, more versatile, and more informative.     

On the phylogenetic significance of two miocene zygaenid moths (insecta,lepidoptera)

Two Miocene zygaenid moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera), »Zygaena« miocaenica Reiss andZygaenites controversus BuRGEFF, both from the Schwäbiscne Alb in south-western Germany, are redescribed and illustrated in detail. Comparison with a cladogram of the Zygaeninae illustrates that they belong to two different genera, i. e. to two different evolutionary lines of the subfamily. Characters in the venation ofZygaenites controversus demonstrate its close relationship to the extant genusEpizygaenella. However, there are no specific characters in »Zygaena« miocaenica which would allow a precise assignment of that species, altough it clearly shows derived characters of the (Praezygaena + Reissita + Epizygaenella + Zygaena) group. This ist the most advanced subdivision of the Zygaeninae, which orginated in the Afrotropics, although the main radiation occurred in Eurasia.     

About bushmen's adaptative features (Angola)

The purpose of this report is to present data about two !Kung Bushmen! population («Cassequeles» and «Mucuancalas»), inhabiting savannah country, in order to check the existence of significant differences between them and to see if these are imputable to environmental factors.     

The epidemiological transition and the risk factors for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in «Punjabi» population of north India

The prevalence of NIDDM in the «Punjabi» population from north India corroborates the «epidemiological transition» model. Hospital admittees gave a higher prevalence of NIDDM in urban areas (8.2–9.3 percent), as compared to rural areas (2.4 percent), and this difference probably is the outcome of the respective lifestyles. Moreover, urban residents are 3.7 times more likely to develop diabetes than are rural residents. Principal component analysis suggests a high correlation of NIDDM with age, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The combined relative risk of diabetes with hypertension as a risk factor was 5.16 (p<.0001). Findings indicate that a combination of risk factors show significant association with diabetes.     

A classification of compounds in American Sign Language: an evaluation of the Bisetto and Scalise framework

Cross-linguistic comparisons of compounds are difficult because of the varied criteria and terms used by different linguists (Scalise and Bisetto 2009). To address this problem, Scalise and Bisetto proposed a universal three-level classification of compound types. Although several researchers have shown that American Sign Language (ASL) has compound signs, a classification of compound types in ASL has not been completed. All of the potential compounds in an ASL dictionary (Costello 1994) were identified, then verified as compounds with the help of a fluent deaf signer by applying standard tests for composition. These compounds were then classified using the Scalise and Bisetto classification. We found that Scalise and Bisetto??s three-level hierarchical classification successfully captured cross-category relationships among subtypes of compounds but fails to predict the existence of one type of compound attested in ASL. In our revised classification, a?consistent set of criteria is used at each level, resulting in a classification that is both conceptually simpler and empirically more adequate. The second tier category for hierarchical compounds are bifurcated into the categories expressed predicate and unexpressed predicate, according to whether each predicate in a compound??s semantic structure is expressed by one of the overt constituents. The revision has the further advantage of allowing us to avoid any reference to word class/grammatical category in applying our taxonomy, a goal that we show to be desirable on both theoretical and empirical grounds.     

On the carrying behaviour of basic South American primates

InCallithrix, Saguinus, Aotus, andCallicebus other group members than the mother participate in infant care. Differences among these species are obvious in respect to the time of being off any caregiver, and in respect to the carrying position (Aotus andCallicebus). Alloparental care, a basic behaviour pattern in these species, has evolved from the parking behaviour of the prosimians. The infants are «parked» at other group members.     

Early signs of language in cross-fostered chimpanzees

In cross-fostering the young of one species are reared by adults of another, as in the classical ethological studies of imprinting and song-learning. In our laboratory, infant chimpanzees were reared under human conditions that included two-way communication in American Sign Language (ASL) the gestural language of the deaf in North America. Here we describe the cross-fostering conditions of this laboratory and the contrast with operant conditioning. We also review the uses and the shapes of the signs in the vocabularies of five cross-fostered chimpanzees, tests demonstrating that the cross-fostered chimpanzees could use signs of ASL to communicate conceptual information to human observers whose only source of information was the signs of the chimpanzees, early development of inflections that resemble the early inflections of deaf human children, evidence based on errors and on inflections for duality of patterning, the continued use of sign language among the chimpanzees even when deprived of human input and the acquisition of signs by the infant Loulis from the cross-fostered chimpanzees.     

A comparative approach to the organization of vocal signals in noctural prosimians

Vocalizations and corresponding behavior patterns were recorded inGalago demidovii (Lorisidae), Microcebus murinus, andCheirogaleus medius (Cheirogaleidae). Physical characteristics of the calls were analyzed and calls correlated with their behavioral context. Based on these correlations an «advertisement» call can be identified in all three species. Interspecific comparison suggest that within the Prosimian suborder there are at least two different evolutionary pathways in the organization of this call and of the vocal repertoires in general. The Lorisid speciesG. demidovii conveys acoustic information mainly in pulsed calls, leading to an extreme amplitude-modulation. Individual characteristics are in temporal patterns of calls.C. medius andM. murinus, the Cheirogaleid species, use tonal calls and encode individual characteristics in frequency patterns. Despite the fundamental similarity in the call-structure of the two Cheirogaleid species different adaptations can be found to meet different ecological needs.     

Practising methods of age determination. Comments on methods combining multiple age indicators

For some time, trends in age determination of skeletons have tended to shift from methods using single age indicators to methods combining multiple age indicators. Evidently the latter are expected to offer more balanced age assessments. If one decides to apply a method using multiple age indicators, a choice can be made between two «current» methods, both based on non-metrical age indicators: the socalled Complex Method of Acsádi and Nemeskéri, statistically elaborated by Sjøvold (WEA, 1980), and the so-called Multifactorial Method of Lovejoy et al., 1985a. Comments are given on practical applicability and supposed confidence.     

Nomenklatorischer Kurzbericht, 3

Dieser dritte »Nomenklatorische Kurzbericht« informiert über die Anfang 1985 erschienene dritte Auflage des »International Code of Zoological Nomenclature« sowie über neue gutachtliche Entscheidungen (»Opinions«) der Nomenklatur-Kommission aus den Jahren 1980-1984 (Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, Band 37-41). Ältere derartige Entscheidungen, soweit sie fossile Taxa betreffen, sind im »Nomenklatorischen Kurzbericht, 1« (Paläont. Z.,46 (3/4): 251-255, 1972) und im »Nomenklatorischen Kurzbericht, 2« (Paläont. Z.,54 (3/4): 343-349, 1980) zusammengestellt.     

Image processing system for interpreting motion in American Sign Language

In this paper, an image processing algorithm is presented for the interpretation of the American Sign Language (ASL), which is one of the sign languages used by the majority of the deaf community. The process involves detection of hand motion, tracking the hand location based on the motion and classification of signs using adaptive clustering of stop positions, simple shape of the trajectory, and matching of the hand shape at the stop position.     

The evolution of man's sense of time

It is shown that in the evolution of man's «sense of time» the conceptDATE played an important role. Inthe first part of the paper, time concepts, such as present, period, duration, change and date, are related to each other in a conceptualstructure, which is represented bothgraphically and by means ofpropositions. That conceptual structure also illustrates the relationship of the concepts of time to theflow of time in theevolution of the cosmos and of life on earth. This flow of time is measured by means of the date concept. In thesecond part, the limited «sense of time» of apes is analyzed. The ability of apes to project their experiences intoforesights of the future is illustrated graphically in a conceptual structure. In thethird part, it is shown that man has the additional ability tochoose from such foresights aplan for the future. Plans are made by assigning a specificdate to future time. The relationship between foresights, plans and dates is also illustrated in a conceptual structure. Finally, thefourth part discusses how man's ability to assign dates to the flow of time evolved simultaneously with his hunting activities and with his faculty to communicate by means of language.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">HMG1A</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PPARG</Emphasis> are differently expressed in the liver of fat and lean broilers

The expression of nine functional candidates for QT abdominal fat weight and relative abdominal fat content was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the liver, adipose tissue, colon, muscle, pituitary gland and brain of broilers. The high mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMG1A) gene was up-regulated in liver with a ratio of means of 2.90 (P?≤?0.01) in the «fatty» group (relative abdominal fat content 3.5?±?0.18%, abdominal fat weight 35.4?±?6.09 g) relative to the «lean» group (relative abdominal fat content 1.9?±?0.56%, abdominal fat weight 19.2?±?5.06 g). Expression of this gene was highly correlated with the relative abdominal fat content (0.70, P?≤?0.01) and abdominal fat weight (0.70, P?≤?0.01). The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene was also up-regulated in the liver with a ratio of means of 3.34 (P?≤?0.01) in the «fatty» group relative to the «lean» group. Correlation of its expression was significant with both the relative abdominal fat content (0.55, P?≤?0.05) and the abdominal fat weight (0.57, P?≤?0.01). These data suggest that the HMG1A and PPARG genes were candidate genes for abdominal fat deposition in chickens. Searching of rSNPs in regulatory regions of the HMG1A and PPARG genes could provide a tool for gene-assisted selection.     

The age and geographical distribution of fossil cercopithecids in China

Cercopithecids did not arrive in China until the latest Tertiary, relatively late in their evolutionary history. Cercopithecines are represented in the Chinese fossil record by two genera,Procynocephalus andMacaca, both of which made their appearance in the Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene, but only one of which,Macaca, was widely distributed throughout the Quaternary and remains in the country today. The much less well known genusProcynocephalus disappeared from China in the late Early Pleistocene, but is of considerable interest because it appears to have been part of a radiation of large terrestrial cercopithecines that extended throughout portions of southern and eastern Asia. Colobines are poorly represented in the fossil record of China. Aside from a few scattered occurrences ofRhinopithecus in the Middle and Late Pleistocene records of southern China, the subfamily is represented by only one other intriguing specimen. This is the large and nearly complete mandible now classified as «Megamacaca lantianensis» from the Gongwangling locality of Lantian, Shaanxi Province. The specimen was retrieved from sediments of late Early Pleistocene age and was associated with elements of a typical southern,Ailuropoda — Stegodon fauna. The distribution of cercopithecids, especiallyMacaca, in China followed the southern and eastern retreat of subtropical habitats during the course of the Pleistocene.     

Influence of temperature on the oviposition rate and longevity ofOpius concolor siculus [Hymenoptera: Braconidae]

The author has studied the influence of different temperatures (22°, 24°, 26°, 28°C) on oviposition and longevity ofOpius concolor siculus Mon., studying separately 13 couples at 22°, 15 at 24°, 100 at 26° and 11 at 28°C. The optimum temperature has been found to be 26°C. Differences have been observed betweenO. concolor Szepl. «African» andO. concolor siculus Mon. «Sicilian».     

Il Pinus Mugo Turra Ed Il Pinus Uncinata Miller in Piemonte. Note Critiche e Distribuzione

Abstract

«Pinus mugo» Turra and «Pinus uncinata» Miller in Piedmont. Critical notes and distribution. — The Authors have carried on a research on the distribution of Pinus mugo Turra (sensu Fl. Eur.) and Pinus uncinata Miller in all Piedmont Alpes and, having observed the extreme variability of the characters which are employed in the keys of determination to differentiate these two species, they suggest other and more constant characters. These are:

Il Pinus Mugo Turra Ed Il Pinus Uncinata Miller in Piemonte. Note Critiche e Distribuzione

All authors

Franco Montacchini & Rosanna Caramiello

https://doi.org/10.1080/11263506809426488

Published online:

14 September 2009

Table     

A huge Workshop of the stone age in North China

Associate researcherWang (1935-) is Associate Director of the Institute of Archaeology of Shanxi Province and standing member of Shanxi Archaeological Association. Since he graduated from the geology department of the Beijing Geology College in 1961, he has been engaged in the study of paleo-anthropology and paleolithic archaeology. He was in charge of the excavation of Dingcun site in 1984. His main treatises are: «Archaeological Reconnaissances at Hsiach'uan in Chinshui County, Shanxi Province», «Microliths from Xueguan Country, Shanxi».Zhu Xiaodong (1965-0000) is a practice researcher of the Institute of Archeology of Shanxi Province, who graduated from the archaeology department of Beijing University in 1987, and took part in the excavation of Gold-Ox Mount site in Liaoning Province.     

Studio Cariologico Di Helictotrichon Versicolor (Villar) Pilger Ssp. Praetutianum (Arc.) Nov. Comb

Abstract

Karyological study of «Helictotrichon versicolor» (Villar) Pilger ssp. «praetutianum» (Arc.) nov. comb. — Karyological investigations on Helictotrichon versicolor (Vill.) Pilger ssp. praetutianum (Arc.) nov. comb. (Graminaceae), from Alpi Apuane, have been made. The species, endemic of Alpi Apuane and Central-Southern Appennino, is diploid (2n=14), as Avena versicolor Vill. already studied by SKALINSKA (1956). The author reports on the karyotype, characterized by seven pairs of chromosomes, as follows: z = 2n = 14 = 2M^s ₁ + 2M₂ + 2M₃ + 2M₄ + 2M₅ + 2M₆ + 2M₇.