Cultural diffusion dynamics depend on behavioural production rules

Culture is an outcome of the acquisition of knowledge about behaviour through social transmission, and its subsequent production. Transmission and production are often discussed interchangeably or modeled separately, yet to date, no study has accounted for both processes and explored their interaction. We present a generative model that integrates the two in order to explore how variation in either might shape cultural diffusion dynamics. Agents make behavioural choices that change as they learn from their behavioural productions. Their repertoires also change over time, and the social transmission of behaviours depends on their frequency. We diffuse a novel behaviour through social networks across a large parameter space to demonstrate how accounting for both transmission and production reveals dependencies between individual-level behavioural production rules and population-level diffusion dynamics. We then investigate how such dependencies might affect the performance of two commonly used inferential models for social learning; Network-based Diffusion Analysis (NBDA), and Experienced Weighted Attraction models (EWA). By clarifying the distinction between acquisition and usage, we illuminate often-overlooked theoretical differences between social learning and social influence. These distinctions yield consequences and new considerations for how inferential methods are applied to empirical studies of culture.

Phytochemical and Antibacterial Analysis of the Formulated Cream of Black Cumin Honey

This study reports the bioactive compound of black cumin honey and investigates the antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. HPLC and GC-MS methods were used to analyze the bioactive compounds of the black cumin honey. The formulated cream of black cumin honey was prepared in an oil-in-water type cream with various concentrations of 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30% (w/w). Antibacterial effects against Propionibacterium acnes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were examined by the disc diffusion method. Physical stability of formulated cream included organoleptic, homogeneity, and pH measurement test. The result of GC-MS analysis of black cumin honey showed 25 compounds: organic fatty acids, saccharides, and amino acid. HPLC analysis of flavonoid content showed quercetin as the bioactive compound at a concentration of 0.223 mg/g. Disc diffusion analysis showed great inhibitory potential against P. acnes and P. aeruginosa in 30% concentration with d = 11.2 mm and 10.8 mm, respectively. It can be concluded that the formulated cream of black cumin honey showed a great potential application as antibacterial agents of P. acnes and P. aeruginosa.

Influence of the Smoking and Spitting Behaviors in Public Smoking Areas on the Microbial Contamination and Spread

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of spitting behavior on microbial public health in smoking areas. Through this investigation, bacterial concentration and spread of bacteria from the smoking areas were evaluated for the prospective public health and environment.Methods : The number of spitting and the spitting location in the smoking areas were measured visually by observers. For the microbial analysis, filter papers (5 × 5 cm) as sample collectors had been attached to the surface of the smoking areas for a given time. Using the collected filter paper, ATP bioluminescence measurement (RLU), colony forming unit (CFU) were measured. For the estimation of spitting behaviors in the smoking area on the spread microorganisms, saliva containing filters were selected from the areas, and fluorescent powder (0.01 g/cm2) was added to the papers. After 4 hours, the papers around the smoking areas were collected and the fluorescence activity was measured.Results and Discussion : The results showed that there was a clear relationship between the spitting behavior and the microbial activity in the smoking areas. In the case of sampling area A, the highest number of spitting was observed at the lunch hour (102 ± 16 times), and the RLU from the sample collected near the smoking area showed about 5,139 ± 1,267 RLU. When the RLU around the smoking area was measured, the lowest values were found at distance of 11 and 17 m from the cigarette bin (1,329 ± 148 and 1,204 ± 203 RLU), and it was confirmed that smoking and spitting did not occur at this sampling points. In the case of sampling area B, the highest number of spitting (45 ± 6 times) was observed at evening hour, and the RLU from the sample collected near the smoking area showed about 5,274 ± 1,297 RLU. The lowest value was in the sampling area B shown at 11 and 18 m (1,181 ± 243 RLU and 1,148 ± 168 RLU) from the cigarette bin, and it was also confirmed that smoking and spitting did not occur at this sampling points. The results indicate that the spitting during the smoking induced the increases of the microbial contamination of the public environment. The fluorescence powder diffusion analysis indicated that the saliva on the ground surface would enhance the spread of the microorganisms from the smoking area.Conclusions : Spitting in smoking areas can pose a high risk of microbial infection for smokers and non-smokers in smoking areas. Thus extensive and systematic attention related to the smoking manner must be paid to protect our public health.

Diffusion Analysis for Techno-commercial Predictions in 5G HetNet Deployment Scenarios

Fifth-generation (5G) mobile services entail network densification, having Massive MIMO air interfaces operating at millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies. Techno-economic analysis for such a complex heterogeneous network (HetNet) is challenging due to uncertain future demand and technical hurdles for ensuring seamless nationwide coverage and capacity. We show in this work how a Logistic diffusion model may be used to forecast 5G adoption in a country and then utilize those forecasts to perform a techno-economic assessment of 5G deployment. The complete analysis is showcased for a European nation, namely France, for the period 2020-2030. We find that, theoretically, both the Capex and the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the considered 5G HetNets is cheaper (1/7th) than that for 4G LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) networks, also translating into higher returns. The sensitivity analysis predicts the Average Revenue from Users (ARPU), spectrum acquisition costs, and spectrum bandwidth as the most influential variables for profitability.