There is relatively good evidence that non-human primates can communicate about objects and events in their envi- ronment in ways that allow recipients to draw inferences about the nature of the event experienced by t...There is relatively good evidence that non-human primates can communicate about objects and events in their envi- ronment in ways that allow recipients to draw inferences about the nature of the event experienced by the signaller. In some spe- cies, there is also evidence that the basic semantic units are not individual calls, but call sequences and the combinations gener- ated by them. These two findings are relevant to theories pertaining to the origins of human language because of the resemblances of these phenomena with linguistic reference and syntactic organisation. Until recently, however, most research efforts on the primate origins of human language have involved Old World species with comparatively few systematic studies on New World monkeys, which has prevented insights into the deeper phylogenetic roots and evolutionary origins of language-relevant capaci- ties. To address this, we review the older primate literature and very recent evidence for functionally referential communication and call combinations in New World primates. Within the existing literature there is ample evidence in both Callitrichids and Ce- bids for acoustically distinct call variants given to external disturbances that are accompanied by distinct behavioural responses. A general pattern is that one call type is typically produced in response to a wide range of general disturbances, often on the ground but also including inter-group encounters, while another call type is produced in response to a much narrower range of aerial threats. This pattern is already described for Old World monkeys and Prosimians, suggesting an early evolutionary origin. Second, recent work with black-fronted tiff monkeys has produced evidence for different alarm call sequences consisting of acoustically distinct call types. These sequences appear to encode several aspects of the predation event simultaneously, notably predator type and location. Since meaningful call sequences have already been described in Old World primates, we suggest that basic combi- natorial vocal communication has evolved in the primate lineage long before the advent of language. Moreover, it is possible that some of these communicative abilities have evolved even earlier, or independently, as there is comparable evidence in other taxonomic groups. We discuss these findings in an attempt to shed further light on the primate stock from which human language has arisen [Current Zoology 58 （5）： 680-697, 2012].展开更多
Human infections with influenza H7 subtypes, such as H7Ng, have raised concerns worldwide. Here, we report a human infection with a novel influenza A（HTN4） virus. A 68 years-old woman with cardiovascular and cholecy...Human infections with influenza H7 subtypes, such as H7Ng, have raised concerns worldwide. Here, we report a human infection with a novel influenza A（HTN4） virus. A 68 years-old woman with cardiovascular and cholecystic comorbidities developed rapidly progressed pneumonia with influenza-like-illness as initial symptom, recovered after 23 days-hospitalization including 8 days in ICLI. Laboratory indicators for liver and blood coagulation dysfunction were observed. Oseltamivir phosphate, glucocorticoids and antibiotics were jointly implemented, with nasal catheterization of oxygen inhalation for this patient. We obtained the medical records and collected serial respiratory and blood specimens from her. We col- lected throat, cloacal and/or feces samples of poultry and wild birds from the patient＇s backyard, neigh- borhood, local live poultry markets （LPMs） and the nearest lake. All close contacts of the patient were followed up and sampled with throat swabs and sera. Influenza viruses and other respiratory pathogens were tested by real-time RT-PCR, viral culturing and/or sequencing for human respiratory and bird sam- ples. Micro-neutralizing assay was performed for sera. A novel reassortant wild bird-origin H7N4 virus is identified from the patient and her backyard poultry （chickens and ducks） by sequencing, which is dis- tinct from previously-reported avian H7N4 and H7N9 viruses. At least four folds increase of neutralizing antibodies to H7N4 was detected in her convalescent sera. No samples from close contacts, wild birds or other poultry were tested positive for H7N4 by real-time RT-PCR.展开更多
文摘There is relatively good evidence that non-human primates can communicate about objects and events in their envi- ronment in ways that allow recipients to draw inferences about the nature of the event experienced by the signaller. In some spe- cies, there is also evidence that the basic semantic units are not individual calls, but call sequences and the combinations gener- ated by them. These two findings are relevant to theories pertaining to the origins of human language because of the resemblances of these phenomena with linguistic reference and syntactic organisation. Until recently, however, most research efforts on the primate origins of human language have involved Old World species with comparatively few systematic studies on New World monkeys, which has prevented insights into the deeper phylogenetic roots and evolutionary origins of language-relevant capaci- ties. To address this, we review the older primate literature and very recent evidence for functionally referential communication and call combinations in New World primates. Within the existing literature there is ample evidence in both Callitrichids and Ce- bids for acoustically distinct call variants given to external disturbances that are accompanied by distinct behavioural responses. A general pattern is that one call type is typically produced in response to a wide range of general disturbances, often on the ground but also including inter-group encounters, while another call type is produced in response to a much narrower range of aerial threats. This pattern is already described for Old World monkeys and Prosimians, suggesting an early evolutionary origin. Second, recent work with black-fronted tiff monkeys has produced evidence for different alarm call sequences consisting of acoustically distinct call types. These sequences appear to encode several aspects of the predation event simultaneously, notably predator type and location. Since meaningful call sequences have already been described in Old World primates, we suggest that basic combi- natorial vocal communication has evolved in the primate lineage long before the advent of language. Moreover, it is possible that some of these communicative abilities have evolved even earlier, or independently, as there is comparable evidence in other taxonomic groups. We discuss these findings in an attempt to shed further light on the primate stock from which human language has arisen [Current Zoology 58 （5）： 680-697, 2012].
基金supported by National Science and Technology Major Project of China (2015ZX09101044)Science & Technology Demonstration Project for Emerging Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention of Jiangsu Province, China (BE2015714 & BE2017749)Key Medical Discipline of Jiangsu Science & Technology Project of China (epidemiology,ZDXKA2016008)
文摘Human infections with influenza H7 subtypes, such as H7Ng, have raised concerns worldwide. Here, we report a human infection with a novel influenza A（HTN4） virus. A 68 years-old woman with cardiovascular and cholecystic comorbidities developed rapidly progressed pneumonia with influenza-like-illness as initial symptom, recovered after 23 days-hospitalization including 8 days in ICLI. Laboratory indicators for liver and blood coagulation dysfunction were observed. Oseltamivir phosphate, glucocorticoids and antibiotics were jointly implemented, with nasal catheterization of oxygen inhalation for this patient. We obtained the medical records and collected serial respiratory and blood specimens from her. We col- lected throat, cloacal and/or feces samples of poultry and wild birds from the patient＇s backyard, neigh- borhood, local live poultry markets （LPMs） and the nearest lake. All close contacts of the patient were followed up and sampled with throat swabs and sera. Influenza viruses and other respiratory pathogens were tested by real-time RT-PCR, viral culturing and/or sequencing for human respiratory and bird sam- ples. Micro-neutralizing assay was performed for sera. A novel reassortant wild bird-origin H7N4 virus is identified from the patient and her backyard poultry （chickens and ducks） by sequencing, which is dis- tinct from previously-reported avian H7N4 and H7N9 viruses. At least four folds increase of neutralizing antibodies to H7N4 was detected in her convalescent sera. No samples from close contacts, wild birds or other poultry were tested positive for H7N4 by real-time RT-PCR.
