Emotions triggered by live arthropods shed light on spider phobia

Spiders are mostly harmless, yet they often trigger high levels of both fear and disgust, and arachnophobia (the phobia of spiders) ranks among the most common specific animal phobias. To investigate this apparent paradox, we turned to the only close relatives of spiders that pose a real danger to humans: scorpions. We adopted a unique methodology in order to assess authentic emotions elicited by arthropods. Over 300 respondents were asked to rate live specimens of 62 arthropod species (including spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, and other insects) based on perceived fear, disgust, and beauty. We found that species’ scores on all three scales depended on the higher taxon as well as on body size. Spiders, scorpions, and other arachnids scored the highest in fear and disgust, while beetles and crabs scored the highest in beauty. Moreover, all chelicerates were perceived as one cohesive group, distinct from other arthropods, such as insects or crabs. Based on these results, we hypothesize that the fear of spiders might be triggered by a generalized fear of chelicerates, with scorpions being the original stimulus that signals danger.

„Aufgeblähte Zeit“ in narrativer Lyrik – Yakamochis Einleitungssequenz zum neunzehnten Man’yōshū-Band

Some of Ōtomo no Yakamochi’s best-known poems are included among the fifteen poems that introduce the Man’yōshū Book 19. While research sees the common themes of these poems, it does not understand them as a cohesive group or “work” (sakuhin 作品). This essay takes a narratological approach and subjects the poems to a reinterpretation based on the two dimensions of “space” and “time.” This reading reveals the fifteen poems as a narrative sequence. For comparison and at the same time for a better understanding, a sequence from Book 17 is consulted, which shows similar narrative features. While the spatial aspects are in the foreground there, the sequence from the Book 19 deals with the theme of time. Both sequences are framed, and their middle section can be compared to the enlargement technique of photography (blow-up). In both sequences, the traditional banquet poetry to the 3rd day in the 3rd month plays a central role. The essay contains a complete translation of the fifteen poems from the Book 19.

Gladiators as a Class

The amphitheatre has been described as a microcosm of Roman society. In the amphitheatre the social divisions and distinctions that defined Roman society were exposed to all. From the worst seats to the best seats, from slaves to the emperor, from dirty clothes to regal purple, visually (and audibly) society was on show. At the heart of this was the arena itself, where the gaze of all fell upon the gladiators. These men (and women) were, in principle, the lowest of the low; despised and hated, debased outcasts from society. In reality their place in society and their relationship to and with those who gazed upon them was more complex. This chapter will investigate how gladiators were viewed both by others and by themselves, and the extent to which gladiators were regarded as a cohesive group, even a ‘class’. It will explore how the lowly legal status of gladiators, their social isolation and the stigma of infamia, co-existed with society’s admiration for fighting prowess and its need for heroes and sex-symbols. It will also explore how gladiators shaped their own identity and created their own social structures, ‘families’ and hierarchies within the gladiatorial barracks. One of the challenges in investigating gladiators is moving beyond the stereotypes and prejudices created by elite authors; to this end this chapter will look not just at literary sources, but also inscriptions, epitaphs and gladiatorial tombstones and burials. This evidence highlights the central dichotomy that faced gladiators and defined their life; that they were both isolated from but integral to Roman society.

Post-release Movement Behaviour and Survival of Kulan Reintroduced to the Steppes and Deserts of Central Kazakhstan

Asiatic wild ass, or kulan (Equus hemionus kulan) were once a key species of the Eurasian steppes and deserts. In Kazakhstan they went extinct by the 1930s. Early reintroductions have reestablished the species in two protected areas, but the species has reclaimed <1% of their former range and remained absent from central Kazakhstan. To initiate restoration in this vast region, we captured and transported a first group of nine wild kulan to a large pre-release enclosure in the Torgai region in 2017, and two more in 2019. We used direct observations and post-release movement data of four kulan equipped with GPS-Iridium collars to document their adaptation process in a vast novel habitat without conspecifics. For comparison with movements in the source populations, we additionally equipped two kulan in Altyn Emel National Park and six in Barsa Kelmes State Nature Reserve. The nine transported kulan formed a cohesive group with very high movement correlation in the enclosure. After release, the group initially stayed tightly together but started to break up by mid-May and all kulan travelled independently by mid-August. With 48,680–136,953 km2, the 95% Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimation ranges of the reintroduced kulan were huge and about 10–100 times larger than those in the source populations. The reintroduced mares never reconnected, there was no evidence of successful reproduction, and two of the four collared mares were killed by poachers and one died of natural causes. At least one stallion survived in the wild, but the fate of the other uncollared animals remains unclear. We speculate that the fission-fusion dynamics and low movement correlation of kulan societies and the need for migratory movements harbours the risk that animals released into a novel environment loose contact with each other. This risk is likely enhanced in steppe habitats where movement constraining factors are absent. Further kulan reintroductions to the steppes and deserts of central Kazakhstan should aim to release larger groups and build up the free-ranging population quickly to reach a critical mass, increasing the chance of kulan encountering conspecifics to successfully breed and increase their chances of survival.

For the treatment of cystic fibrosis, RNA medicines, gene transfer therapies, and gene editing treatments have potential

Many unique genetic procedures have been created to reach the heart of the cystic fibrosis (CF) problem, overcoming a defective gene, and advances in the nucleic acid treatment industry have made these methods much more viable as potential remedies. However, before any of these approaches can be used in clinical settings, a number of hurdles must be overcome, including determining which organs should be targeted for the most robust effect with the least amount of potential harm; determining which cells should be targeted in each organ; and determining what constitutes a successful treatment. Another factor to consider is that, unlike many other treatments, gene therapy and gene editing will need advancing clinical trials ahead without data from healthy adult control cohorts; rather, phase 1 studies will require CF patients. Furthermore, we must select which patients should be included in the initial studies for mutation-agnostic methods: should we include all patients, even if effective modulator therapy is available? Clearly, if we are to be successful, we will have to face some significant challenges, and we will have to do it as a cohesive group, as we have always done.

Modelling, Analysis, and Optimization of Three-Dimensional Restricted Visual Field Metric-Free Swarms

Models of collective behaviour have been proved helpful in revealing what mechanism may underlie characteristics of a flock of birds, a school of fish, and a swarm of herds. Recently, the metric-free model gradually occupies a dominant position in the research field of collective intelligence. Most of these models endow every single individual with the ability of a global visual field, which can offer each particle sufficient external information. In this paper, we mainly focus on whether the global visual field is necessary to form a consistent and cohesive group or not. Inspired by the biological characteristic of starlings, we develop a three-dimensional restricted visual field metric-free(RVFMF) model based on Pearce and Turner's previous work. We further investigate several vital factors governing the convergent consistency of the RVFMF model with the assistance of extensive numerical simulations. According to the simulation results, we conclude that the best view angle of each particle in a swarm increases with the expansion of the population size. Besides, the best view angle gradually becomes stable around 155 degrees when the population size is larger than 1000. We also offer quantitative analysis data to prove that a flock of birds could obtain better consistency under optimal restricted visual field than under global visual field.

Causal Loop Analysis Can Identify Solutions to Complex Dog Management Problems in Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities

Companion animal management in Australian remote Aboriginal communities (rAcs) is a complex problem with multiple stakeholders involved, with differing needs, knowledge, power and resources. The Comm4Unity (Cycle of Multiple Methods for Unity—For Community) approach was designed to address such problems. This study represents the second step of the Comm4Unity framework, where a causal loop analysis (CLA) was adapted and tested as a tool to address the issue of dog overpopulation in Wurrumiyanga, and in particular the systemic causes of the problem and necessary transformational management solutions. Ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were held amongst three of the four stakeholder groups identified during the first step in the analysis. The CLA identified 13 positive feedback loops, which drive vicious cycles and perpetuate the dog overpopulation issue. All three groups agreed and developed 22 solutions to address the causes of dog overpopulation. Despite the differences in the framings of the three groups, “training” and “education” were both the top priority solutions for all three groups. The majority of the solutions discussed by the groups were not only transformational but also social, requiring collaboration. This study was successful in so far as transformational actions were co-developed by all FGDs, which may have also built capacity and agency amongst the local community to implement them as a cohesive group.

Manned Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Heterogeneous Formation Flight Control via Heterogeneous Pigeon Flock Consistency

The heterogeneous pigeon flock showed higher leadership stability than the homogeneous flock. In this paper, a control model applied to manned aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle heterogeneous formation flight is designed. During the smoothing trajectory, the swarm employed the distributed communication network and event-triggered interactive mechanism. During the turning trajectory, the centralized and distributed communication networks were integrated. Simulation tests demonstrated that the proposed control algorithm was feasible to form a cohesive group and effectively avoid obstacles in unknown environment.

Who and what is their ‘people’? How British political leaders appealed to the people during the 2019 election

In recent years, many scholars, mainly those focusing on populism, have analysed the role of ‘the people’ in politics. This has allowed us to understand how many political actors emphasize the central position of this term. Today, ‘the people’ has different meanings depending on how politicians use it in specific contexts. In this paper, the reference to ‘the people’ was measured using the following question: How do political leaders use the word ‘people’? The analysis was conducted on Twitter through the study of the accounts of the foremost political leaders in the UK during the 2019 general election campaign. The results highlight three key attitudes related to the use of ‘people’: a direct and immediate relationship between a leader and a wide people; a calling to a specific people, described as a strong and cohesive group; an appropriation of the voice of the people, grouping people without borders into the classic contraposition between a pure people and the corrupt elite.

The EU’s engagement with foreign powers on human rights

With a mandate under the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union (EU) has been engaging with foreign powers like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) nations on human rights issues. Despite the common and shared goals, the BRICS set-up is not institutionalised, which prompts the EU to engage with each country on a bilateral basis. Such collaborations have occurred in bilateral dialogues, multilateral fora, through developmental assistance, and negotiations in economic partnership agreements. The scope and content of the discussions and cooperation vary due to the difference in the political structures of the countries. While the EU and the BRICS may share some common goals politically and economically, pursuing shared objectives related to democracy and human rights promotion remains challenging. These countries may believe in human rights protection, but the understandings and the approaches vary drastically, as visible when issues of sovereignty and non-intervention are raised to resist comprehensive discussions. Although the BRICS are emerging as an interconnected group and have begun to cooperate more closely in multilateral fora, the EU may also have to consider dealing with it in its institutional capacity. It could be more challenging to fulfill the mandate of the Lisbon Treaty for the EU while dealing with this cohesive group that has different understandings on human rights protection within their own states.