Hasil untuk "Physical anthropology. Somatology"

Florian Heinrichs

Under mild structural assumptions and regularity conditions on the marginal and conditional densities, an explicit bound on the $β$-mixing coefficients in terms of the physical dependence measure is provided. Consequently, weak physical dependence implies $β$-mixing and strong mixing for triangular arrays, complementing Hill (2025), who proved the converse implication under moment assumptions.

Nathan Gabriel, Adrian V. Bell, Paul E. Smaldino

Individual social identities indicate group affiliations and are typically associated with group-typical preferences, signals that indicate group membership, and the propensity to condition actions on the social signals of others, resulting in group-differentiated interaction norms. Past work modeling identity signaling and coordination has typically assumed that individuals belong to one of a discrete set of groups. Yet individuals can simultaneously belong to multiple groups, which may be nested within larger groupings. Here, we introduce the generalized Bach or Stravinsky game, a coordination game with ordered preferences, which allows us to construct a model that captures the overlapping and hierarchical nature of social identity. Our model unifies several prior results into a single framework, including results related to coordination, minority disadvantage, and cross-cultural competence. Our model also allows agents to express complex social identities through multidimensional signaling, which we use to explore a variety of complex group structures. Our consideration of intersectional identities exposes flaws in naive measures of group structure, illustrating how empirical studies may overlook some social identities if they do not consider the behaviors that those identities function to afford.

John Alexander Cruz Morales

Starting from Greg Moore's description about Physical Mathematics, a framework is proposed in order to understand it, based on Gilles Châtelet's philosophy. It will be argued that Châtelet's ideas of inverting, splitting, augmenting and virtuality are crucial in the discussion about the nature of Physical Mathematics. Along this line, it will be proposed that mirror symmetry is a natural study case to test Châtelet's ideas in this context. This should be considered as a first step in a long term project aiming to study the relations among mathematics, physics and philosophy in the construction of a global understanding of the structure of the universe, as it was envisioned by Grothendieck in the late 80's of the last century and it was started to be developed independently by Châtelet in the beginning of the 90's. The main suggestion of the essay is that it is in the relations between mathematics, physics and philosophy that new knowledge arises.

Marco De Santis, Lisa Alazraki

This paper presents our submission to the MRL 2025 Shared Task on Multilingual Physical Reasoning Datasets. The objective of the shared task is to create manually-annotated evaluation data in the physical commonsense reasoning domain, for languages other than English, following a format similar to PIQA. Our contribution, FormaMentis, is a novel benchmark for physical commonsense reasoning that is grounded in Italian language and culture. The data samples in FormaMentis are created by expert annotators who are native Italian speakers and are familiar with local customs and norms. The samples are additionally translated into English, while preserving the cultural elements unique to the Italian context.

Minghan Chu, Weicheng Qian

Predicting the evolution of turbulent flows is central across science and engineering. Most studies rely on simulations with turbulence models, whose empirical simplifications introduce epistemic uncertainty. The Eigenspace Perturbation Method (EPM) is a widely used physics-based approach to quantify model-form uncertainty, but being purely physics-based it can overpredict uncertainty bounds. We propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based modulation of EPM perturbation magnitudes to improve calibration while preserving physical consistency. Across canonical cases, the hybrid ML-EPM framework yields substantially tighter, better-calibrated uncertainty estimates than baseline EPM alone.

Deaglan J. Bartlett, Harry Desmond, Pedro G. Ferreira et al.

Symbolic regression (SR) has emerged as a powerful method for uncovering interpretable mathematical relationships from data, offering a novel route to both scientific discovery and efficient empirical modelling. This article introduces the Special Issue on Symbolic Regression for the Physical Sciences, motivated by the Royal Society discussion meeting held in April 2025. The contributions collected here span applications from automated equation discovery and emergent-phenomena modelling to the construction of compact emulators for computationally expensive simulations. The introductory review outlines the conceptual foundations of SR, contrasts it with conventional regression approaches, and surveys its main use cases in the physical sciences, including the derivation of effective theories, empirical functional forms and surrogate models. We summarise methodological considerations such as search-space design, operator selection, complexity control, feature selection, and integration with modern AI approaches. We also highlight ongoing challenges, including scalability, robustness to noise, overfitting and computational complexity. Finally we emphasise emerging directions, particularly the incorporation of symmetry constraints, asymptotic behaviour and other theoretical information. Taken together, the papers in this Special Issue illustrate the accelerating progress of SR and its growing relevance across the physical sciences.

Mehdi Kushkestani, Leonidas G. Karagounis, Rob Lawson et al.

The Mediterranean lifestyle has attracted significant research attention in recent years. This lifestyle is supported by several key pillars, including dietary habits, social and spiritual engagement, and physical activity. Although much of the research has focused on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, physical activity has received comparatively less emphasis. Nevertheless, physical activity remains a vital component of the Mediterranean lifestyle, deeply embedded in cultural traditions and daily routines. This paper examines the defining features, movement patterns, and cultural foundations of physical activity within the traditional Mediterranean lifestyle. By drawing on historical sources, anthropological studies, and contemporary research, we characterize Traditional Mediterranean Physical Activity (TMPA) as a set of habitual, non-structured movement patterns integrated into daily life. These activities include farming, fishing, manual labor, dancing, and walking for transportation, all reflecting a functionally active lifestyle shaped by environmental and occupational demands. The study also explores how TMPA has evolved and its potential alignment with modern physical activity paradigms. The key components of TMPA include functional movements, outdoor engagement, and communal participation, reflecting a culturally embedded approach to physical activity in Mediterranean societies. This study provides a foundation for understanding TMPA as a distinct movement model shaped by tradition and sustainability and offers insights into how these activity patterns have persisted or adapted in contemporary settings.

Федотова Т.К., Горбачева А.К.

Введение. Обсуждается процесс формирования величины и направления половых соматических различий в перипубертатном периоде (9–17 лет), этническая специфика динамики полового диморфизма основных антропометрических размеров. Материал и методы. Для построения межгруппового распределения стандартизованных величин полового диморфизма размеров тела в 9, 13 и 17 лет обобщены обширные литературные материалы по детям РФ и бывшего СССР 1950–2010 гг. (более 500 выборок). Для количественной оценки величины полового диморфизма (ПД) использована дивергенция Кульбака, аналог расстояния Махаланобиса. Для корректного учета вклада в вариации полового диморфизма этнического фактора из общего массива данных подобраны пары выборок разной этнической принадлежности (коренное население и русские), но из одной и той же экологической ниши, обследованных одновременно. Результаты. Показано значительное влияние возрастного фактора на межгрупповое распределение полового соматического диморфизма. Выявлены достоверные положительные корреляции полового диморфизма с величиной самих размеров для мальчиков в первую очередь в 13 и 17 лет (0,48–0,63 для весоростовых показателей) и отрицательные или близкие к нулю корреляции у девочек. Динамика полового диморфизма соматических размеров на интервале 9–17 лет для пар выборок эстонцы-русские, киргизы-русские, татары-русские, узбеки-русские в целом инвариантна относительно этнической принадлежности групп и свидетельствует о доминировании возрастных физиологических закономерностей над этническими. Заключение. Изменчивость соматического полового диморфизма в перипубертатном возрасте имеет примерно нормальную форму распределения, как и сами антропометрические показатели. Достоверные корреляции стандартизованных уровней полового диморфизма размеров со средневыборочными значениями самих размеров имеют разные знаки у мальчиков и девочек – положительные в первом случае, отрицательные или близкие к нулю во втором, что соответствует аналогичной закономерности у взрослых и может рассматриваться как подтверждение вклада соматической изменчивости мужского пола в формирование половых различий. При проведении «точечных» локальных сравнений ограниченного числа этнических групп одной экологической ниши не удалось зафиксировать межгрупповой ростовой специфики в связи с этническим фактором, что связано, видимо, с высокими скоростями роста в перипубертатном периоде и доминированием надэтнических видовых закономерностей над локальными этническими особенностями.

Michael A. Berthaume, Sarah Elton

Biomechanics is the set of tools that explain organismal movement and mechanical behavior and links the organism to the physicality of the world. As such, biomechanics can relate behaviors and culture to the physicality of the organism. Scale is critical to biomechanical analyses, as the constitutive equations that matter differ depending on the scale of the question. Within anthropology, biomechanics has had a wide range of applications, from understanding how we and other primates evolved to understanding the effects of technologies, such as the atlatl, and the relationship between identity, society, culture, and medical interventions, such as prosthetics. Like any other model, there is great utility in biomechanical models, but models should be used primarily for hypothesis testing and not data generation except in the rare case where models can be robustly validated. The application of biomechanics within anthropology has been extensive, and holds great potential for the future.

Marian Burchardt, Edwin Ameso

Abstract Based on ethnographic research in northern Ghana, this article explores the complex logistics of blood and the ways in which the availability of blood has been transformed through the introduction of drones. We explore how drone services affect this ecosystem of supply and contribute to reshaping the practices of physicians, nurses, facility pharmacists and stock managers, as well as the expectations and experiences of patients and their families. Situated at the interface of medical anthropology, critical studies of infrastructure and anthropological studies of digital innovations in healthcare, our paper attends to the emerging anthropological research on medical logistics as a means of connecting people with medical resources. It demonstrates the fundamentally ambivalent nature of technological innovation: on the one hand, drones have fueled health workers’ hopes and transformed access to blood. On the other hand, their introduction has also led to connectivity without stock. In line with STS scholarship, we highlight the important role of the physical properties of objects such as blood in shaping their circulation.

Karishma Yasmin

Background: This study examines cardiometabolic (CM) risk factors in an urban South Asian population, integrating medical and Anthropological perspectives to explore the effects of socio-economic, lifestyle, gender-specific factors, and cultural norms on health outcomes. Results: Analysis indicates a high prevalence of MetS and Pre-MetS, particularly among females, with significant predictors including BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and waist circumference, alongside socio-genetic and lifestyle factors. Employing Elastic Net logistic regression, the researcher rigorously validated models to evaluate their predictive performance while also describing the associations and prevalence of known risk factors. The use of this method underlines the importance of combining traditional risk factors with socio-genetic, biological, economic and lifestyle variables, while Anthropological insights reveal the impact of urbanization and socio-cultural norms on health behaviors. Conclusion: The study advocates for a multidisciplinary approach in public health strategies, emphasizing the complex interplay between genetic, environmental, biological and socio-cultural influences on cardiometabolic health. This dual approach aligns with descriptive and predictive model goals. The future research should further integrate biomedical sciences with socio-cultural studies to develop culturally sensitive interventions, aiming to address the growing challenge of CM diseases in urban South Asian contexts.

Guillermo Rodríguez-Gómez, M. Patrocinio Espigares, Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro et al.

The Early Pleistocene sites of Orce in southeastern Spain, including Fuente Nueva-3 (FN3), Barranco León (BL) and Venta Micena (VM), provide important insights into the earliest hominin populations and Late Villafranchian large mammal communities. Dated to approximately 1.4 million years ago, FN3 and BL preserve abundant Oldowan tools, cut marks and a human primary tooth, indicating hominin activity. VM, approximately 1.6 million years old, is an outstanding site because it preserves an exceptionally rich assemblage of large mammals and predates the presence of hominins, providing a context for pre-human conditions in the region. Research suggests that both hominins and giant hyenas were essential to the accumulation of skeletal remains at FN3 and BL, with secondary access to meat resources exploited by saber-toothed felids. This aim of this study aims to correlate the relative abundance of large herbivores at these sites with their estimates of Carrying Capacity (CC) and Total Available Biomass (TAB) using the PSEco model, which incorporates survival and mortality profiles to estimate these parameters in paleoecosystems. Our results show: (i) similarities between quarries VM3 and VM4 and (ii) similarities of these quarries with BL-D (level D), suggesting a similar formation process; (iii) that the role of humans would be secondary in BL-D and FN3-LAL (Lower Archaeological Level), although with a greater human influence in FN3-LAL due to the greater presence of horses and small species; and (iv) that FN3-UAL (Upper Archaeological Level) shows similarities with the expected CC values for FN3/BL, consistent with a natural trap of quicksand scenario, where the large mammal species were trapped according to their abundance and body mass, as there is a greater presence of rhinos and mammoths due to the greater weight per unit area exerted by their legs. Given the usefulness of this approach, we propose to apply it first to sites that have been proposed to function as natural traps.

J. Ross, C. Surette, Katy A. Whitaker et al.

Development of virtual labs for Forensic Anthropology was complicated by the notion that the skeleton cannot be learned without physical manipulation. This was addressed by using free programs to teach using 3D models of bone. Successes and shortcomings are discussed based on student and educator feedback. Integration of 3D models in teaching is plausible as it reduces deterioration of specimens and increases accessibility of the lab, however, the ethics of digital archaeology, including curation of human skeletal models, is an unsolved challenge. Overall, although 3D modelling cannot replace hands-on learning, teaching virtually can indeed ensure high-quality instruction is delivered.

Maria Paula Meneses

Covid-19 posed significant challenges to anthropological research as quarantines, travel restrictions and physical distance measures were introduced. In the Mozambican context, however, the pandemic added an additional critical level to previous crises (epidemics, extreme climate events, armed violence) which had led to methodological “innovations” in a field that relies on building relationships of trust. These innovations — such as conducting fieldwork in multiple stages, working collaboratively or using archives — have been conceptualised as “patchwork ethnography.” This article reflects on the impact of this methodological option on making visible agents and knowledges of struggles hitherto silenced, such as the role of ordinary women in the context of the nationalist struggle in Mozambique (1960s–1970s). Through patchwork ethnography, we obtain contextual and dense knowledge that pays attention to the changing circumstances of life and work that are profoundly altering the conditions of knowledge production. A Covid-19 colocou desafios significativos para a investigação antropológica à medida que foram introduzidas quarentenas, restrições de viagem e medidas de distanciamento físico. No contexto moçambicano, contudo, a pandemia acrescentou um nível crítico adicional às crises anteriores (epidemias, eventos climáticos extremos, violência armada), o que levou a “inovações” metodológicas em um campo que depende da construção de relações de confiança. Estas inovações — como a realização de trabalho de campo em múltiplas etapas, o trabalho colaborativo ou a utilização de arquivos — foram conceituadas como “etnografia de retalhos”. Este artigo reflete sobre o impacto desta opção metodológica na visibilização de agentes e saberes de lutas até então silenciados, como o papel das mulheres comuns no contexto da luta nacionalista em Moçambique (décadas de 1960-1970). Através da etnografia de retalhos, obtemos conhecimento denso e contextual que presta atenção às mudanças nas circunstâncias de vida e de trabalho que estão alterando profundamente as condições de produção de conhecimento.

M. Liston, John K. Papadopoulos

E. Permiakova

Introduction. This review is a continuation of the research devoted to the assessment of the development of auxology in Russian anthropology. The first part was devoted to a comprehensive assessment of the processes of growth and development of children from birth to 3 years old, living both in our country and in the countries of the near abroad. The analyzed sources describe factors influencing growth processes (evolutionary, climatic, geographical, ethnic and genetic factors, constitutional features of mothers, circumstances of intrauterine growth) [Permiakova, 2023]. This article examines and describes in more detail the main activities of auxologists, as well as physicians and psychologists working both within our country and in cooperation with foreign researchers from various academic institutions. Materials and methods. In this part of the work, the author analyzed articles devoted to the comprehensive assessment of physical development (as well as factors affecting it) of the school and student contingent living in Russia and some other countries. All these articles were published in Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin from 2009 to 2022. Results and discussion. Works in the designated area, on the one hand, analyze the physical development of children and youth of the Moscow region, on the other hand, assess the differences in the rates and dynamics of growth processes of residents of different regions of our country and abroad, including the secular aspect. In addition, representative samples are used to analyze socio-economic factors affecting these processes and determining the features of their course in a particular territory. Complex studies involving the relationship of somatic development indicators not only with socio-economic or environmental parameters, but also the psychological characteristics of the subjects are also important. Conclusion. The number of works devoted to the subject under study is quite numerous, which allows us to speak about the undiminished interest of domestic anthropologists in studying the problems of growth and development. The complex nature of most of them, among other things, indicates an integrative approach to solving the problems posed to this field of science. @ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Alessandro Pinto

Several sources of uncertainty have to be taken into account in the analysis and design of CPS. The set of parameters used in the model of the physical plant of a CPS may be uncertain due, for example, to manufacturing processes that are precise up to some bounded tolerance. Physical quantities are sensed by electronic components that add noise to the sensed signals. Abstraction of the physical world, which is often necessary to limit the complexity of the models used in analysis and at run-time in decision-making, leads to non-determinism. The cyber side of a CPS, which includes both hardware and software components, exposes several types of uncertainty such as failures, latency, and implementation errors. Design processes and tools allow engineers to minimize the impact of these types of uncertainty, and to deliver systems which can be operated with an acceptable level of risk. In the past several years, cyber-physical systems have evolved, primarily due to pervasive connectivity, miniaturization, cost-effectiveness of hardware, and advances in the area of Artificial Intelligence. This new class of applications features an environment that is much more complex to model than traditional physical systems due not only to their scale, but also to new sources and types of uncertainty. Consider, for example, the typical case of echo chambers which is attributed to the effect that machine learning algorithms have on the bias of people. Such behavior is not easily predictable because of high uncertainty in the environment (people), which is only approximately represented by machine learning models, but that is inherently due to lack of knowledge. New models and analysis methods are therefore needed to capture different types of uncertainties, and to analyze these new classes of systems.

Chethan Parameshwara, Alessandro Achille, Matthew Trager et al.

We describe a first step towards learning general-purpose visual representations of physical scenes using only image prediction as a training criterion. To do so, we first define "physical scene" and show that, even though different agents may maintain different representations of the same scene, the underlying physical scene that can be inferred is unique. Then, we show that NeRFs cannot represent the physical scene, as they lack extrapolation mechanisms. Those, however, could be provided by Diffusion Models, at least in theory. To test this hypothesis empirically, NeRFs can be combined with Diffusion Models, a process we refer to as NeRF Diffusion, used as unsupervised representations of the physical scene. Our analysis is limited to visual data, without external grounding mechanisms that can be provided by independent sensory modalities.

Carlo Manzo, Gorka Muñoz-Gil, Giovanni Volpe et al.

Preface to the special issue "Characterisation of Physical Processes from Anomalous Diffusion Data" associated with the Anomalous Diffusion Challenge ( https://andi-challenge.org ) and published in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical. The list of articles included in the special issue can be accessed at https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1751-8121/page/Characterisation-of-Physical-Processes-from-Anomalous-Diffusion-Data .

Magdalena Sudoł-Procyk