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Social bonds are crucial to many animal species. To maintain these bonds, individuals must be able to differentiate the identity of conspecifics. Pair-bonding primates, in general, maintain close bonds with their selected mate. Little is known about visual preferences of pair-bonded primates. To characterize visual preference for images of familiar and unfamiliar faces, we assessed visual attention in coppery titi monkeys, Plecturocebus cupreus. Coppery titi monkeys, like many other pair-bonding species, show a behavioural partner preference when placed in a partner preference paradigm and maintain greater durations of physical proximity to their pair mate compared to an unfamiliar stranger. Using a previously validated noninvasive eye-tracking method, we investigated whether titi monkeys display visual partner preference. We presented adult titi monkeys with 10 static slides showing two conspecific faces side by side: either (1) their partner's face and a stranger's face, or (2) two strangers' faces. Face side was counterbalanced, and slide presentation order was randomized, across all subjects. We present five looking-behaviour outcome measures for a study of 40 titi monkeys. We found no evidence of a visual preference for still photographs of one's pair mate, but we did find that age, pair tenure and parenting experience predicted looking behaviour. Animals with longer pair tenures spent more time looking at facial images. Younger animals looked at the screen for the first time faster, spent less time looking and looked fewer times at the stimuli compared to older animals. Parenting status positively predicted fixation count, total visit duration and visit count, such that parents with more experience looked at the stimuli longer and more times than animals without parenting experience. This study is the first to characterize social looking in a pair-bonded monkey. • We investigated whether titi monkeys display visual partner preference. • We presented static slides of the pair mate vs a stranger or two strangers. • We found no evidence of a visual preference for one's pair mate. • Parents with more experience looked at stimuli longer and more times. • Age predicted shorter durations of looking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction Method Results Conclusion The United Nations report in 2021 ranks Pakistan 21st among countries with the highest infant and child mortality rate in the world. It is the fifth most populous country in the world with a growth rate of 2% annually. Therefore, understanding child mortality is crucial to reducing the child mortality burden.The research utilized two waves of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS), 2012–13 and 2017–18. The data are analyzed using logistic regression with interaction effects of household wealth status and propensity score matching techniques.The study reveals a positive link between polygyny and infant and child mortality. The odd ratios higher than “1” indicate increased mortality risk for infants and children belonging to polygynous families taking monogamous families as a reference category. Mortality risk is higher among children (OR 1.50 CI 0.18–12.63) as compared with infants (OR 1.28 CI 0.37–4.45). The main effect of household shows a negative association with infant and child mortality while after interacting with polygyny it turns out to be positive. The mortality risks increase with increasing wealth status. It can be translated as a positive link between household wealth status, and infant and child mortality in the context of polygyny.Infants and children belonging to polygynous families experience increased mortality risk as compared with monogamous families. The household wealth status may not help improve child mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the theory and practice of non-monogamy at the turn of the twentieth century across a range of texts, including anarchist periodicals, mainstream newspapers, and literary fiction. Moving from utopian to ambivalent representations of multipartner relationships, it turns to a canonical novel to explore a perspective we might call poly pessimism, which not only critiques monogamy but exposes the systems that make non-monogamous alternatives equally unlivable. Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome (1911) offers a blistering naturalist account of the constraints of monogamous marriage as the organizing institution of care work under capitalism, but the monstrous menáge à trois revealed at the novel's end suggests only the multiplication of domestic duty and the expansion of marriage and the private home rather than their abolition. Both in its sexual utopianism and its calls for the practical reconfiguration of home life and the economies of care, critical non-monogamy at the turn of the twentieth century holds an important position in a tradition of radical thought that connects antebellum socialisms to more recent liberation agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether natural selection leads to attachment in monogamous pair bonds has seldom been addressed. Operationally defining attachment as a behavioral modifier that decreases divorce probability with pair duration, we develop a model for the evolution of attachment. If divorce (the ending of a pair bond when both individuals survive to the next breeding season) is more likely to occur out of poor-quality reproductive opportunities (i.e., poor territory or low-quality mate), individuals in experienced pairs are more likely to be found in high-quality opportunities. Consequently, when divorce decisions occur using imperfect information from reproductive success, pair duration provides individuals with information about the quality of their reproductive opportunity and attachment can evolve. We show that high survival rates, divorce propensities, and probabilities of nest failure favor the evolution of attachment. Attachment is also more likely to evolve when individuals can directly assess the quality of their reproductive opportunity (as opposed to relying on imperfect information from reproductive success), when the quality of the reproductive opportunity has adult survival ramifications, and when divorce coevolves with attachment. We show that our core conclusions are robust to a variety of assumptions using individual-based simulations. Our results clarify how attachment can be adaptive and suggest that studying pair bonds as dynamic entities is a promising avenue for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Bombus (bumble bees) includes approximately 265 species, many of which are in decline in North America and Europe. To estimate colony abundance of bumble bees in natural and agricultural habitats, sibship relationships are often reconstructed from genetic data with the assumption that colonies have 1 monandrous queen. However, some species such as the North American common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens Cresson) can display low levels of polyandry, which may bias estimates of colony abundance based on monandrous sibship reconstructions. To accurately quantify rates of polyandry in wild and commercially mated queens of this species, we empirically estimated mating frequencies using a novel statistical model and genotypes from 730 bees. To genotype individuals, we used a highly polymorphic set of microsatellites on colonies established from 20 wild-caught gynes and 10 commercial colonies. We found multiple fathers in 3 of the wild colonies and 3 of the commercial colonies. This resulted in average effective mating frequencies of 1.075 ± 0.18 and 1.154 ± 0.25 for wild and commercial colonies, respectively. These findings agree with previous reports of low rates of polyandry for B. impatiens. Using a large empirical dataset, we demonstrate that assuming monandry for colony abundance estimation in species that violate this assumption results in an overestimation of the number of colonies. Our results emphasize the importance of studying mating frequencies in social species of conservation concern and economic importance for the accuracy of colony abundance estimation and for understanding their ecology and sociobiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The quality of romantic relationships can predict health consequences related to aging. DNA methylation-based biomarkers of aging accurately estimate chronological age. We developed several highly accurate epigenetic aging clocks, based on highly conserved mammalian CpGs, for the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). In addition, our dual-species human-vole clock accurately measured relative age and illustrates high species conservation of epigenetic aging effects. Next, we assessed how pair bonding impacts epigenetic aging. We did not find evidence that pair-bonded voles exhibit accelerated or decelerated epigenetic aging effects in blood, ear, liver, or brain tissue. Our epigenome wide association study identified CpGs in five genes strongly associated with pair bonding: Foxp4, Phf2, Mms22l, Foxb1, and Eif1ad. Overall, we present accurate DNA methylation-based estimators of age for a species of great interest to researchers studying monogamy in animals. We did not find any evidence that sex-naive animals age differently from pair-bonded animals.

We seek a systematic tightening method to represent the monogamy relation for some measure in multipartite quantum systems. By introducing a family of parameterized bounds, we obtain tighter lowering bounds for the monogamy relation compared with the most recently discovered relations. We provide detailed examples to illustrate why our bounds are better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mating systems, influenced by the social and ecological environment and individual attributes, are fundamental components of animal social organisation, impacting behaviour, animal distribution, ecosystem processes, individual reproductive success, and population dynamics. Bats are of particular interest for studies of mating systems as they are thought to exhibit a greater diversity in mating systems than any other mammalian order, and thus make great models for improving our fundamental understanding of causes and consequences of social organisation. Here, we review the current knowledge of bat mating systems. Our analyses show that research on bat mating systems has not kept pace with research on bats in general and that traditional typologies do not accommodate the mating system of several species. Therefore, we propose an alternative, functional framework to categorise mating systems of bats and by extension of other taxa. We argue that mating systems can be classified according to a male reproductive skew continuum, with an increasing skew from monogamy to true lekking. We include an additional category of lek‐like mating system along the continuum to account for previous trans‐categorical cases that have the appearance of resource defence but are functionally akin to a lek. The new framework has a total of seven categories: promiscuity, monogamy, female defence polygyny, resource defence polygyny, a lek‐like mating system, exploded classical lek, and clustered classical lek. Applying this framework to bats reveals that lek mating systems are more prevalent in bats than previously recognised. It is our aim that this review and the proposed framework provide a greater understanding of bat mating systems particularly and provoke research into the factors that shape mating systems across animal taxa more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gonipterus platensis Marelli, 1926 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the main defoliating beetles in Eucalyptus plantations. Biological control with egg parasitoids is one of the main control strategies for this pest and a constant supply of fresh host eggs is required to rear the parasitoids. Polyandry can influence Gonipterus oviposition by increasing female fecundity and fertility; however, the high density of individuals in laboratory colonies can lead to male harassment, resulting in lower reproduction rate. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of monoandry and polyandry on the reproduction of G. platensis and the effects of male harassment on laboratory rearing conditions. Methods: Reproductive parameters were compared between three treatments: monoandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with the same male; no choice polyandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with a different male; and polyandry with choice, where the female was allowed to mate daily, but with a choice between five different males. Another experiment varying the density of males was conducted to evaluate the effect of male harassment. Results: Polyandry with choice resulted in the longest period of oviposition, highest fecundity and highest number of eggs per egg capsules when compared to monoandrous females. No negative effect related to male harassment in the laboratory, such as decreased fertility, fecundity, or number of eggs per egg capsule, was detected. Conclusion: Polyandry contributes to mass rearing as it increases fecundity and oviposition period on females and there is no evidence of male harassment on G. platensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of romantic relationships can predict health consequences related to aging. DNA methylation-based biomarkers of aging accurately estimate chronological age. We developed several highly accurate epigenetic aging clocks, based on highly conserved mammalian CpGs, for the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). In addition, our dual-species human-vole clock accurately measured relative age and illustrates high species conservation of epigenetic aging effects. Next, we assessed how pair bonding impacts epigenetic aging. We did not find evidence that pair-bonded voles exhibit accelerated or decelerated epigenetic aging effects in blood, ear, liver, or brain tissue. Our epigenome wide association study identified CpGs in five genes strongly associated with pair bonding: Foxp4, Phf2, Mms22l, Foxb1, and Eif1ad. Overall, we present accurate DNA methylation-based estimators of age for a species of great interest to researchers studying monogamy in animals. We did not find any evidence that sex-naive animals age differently from pair-bonded animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In theory, emancipation from parental care is expected to favor promiscuous mating systems. However, in avian brood parasites, monogamy is surprisingly widespread, and it has been proposed that this may be favored by factors such as low population density and territoriality. Correspondingly, our previous research revealed that brood parasitic Horsfield's bronze-cuckoos (Chalcites basalis) , which occur at low population densities and defend territories, are monogamous. Here, we contrast this study with the mating system of the congeneric little bronze-cuckoo (C. minutillus) , an obligate brood parasite that exploits more concentrated hosts and is, therefore, likely to occur at higher population densities. We use single nucleotide polymorphisms to characterize the reproductive patterns of unsampled adults by inferring sibling relationships among 30 offspring. We show that (1) little bronze-cuckoos occurred at high densities, (2) polygamy was the most common mating pattern found in this study in both sexes, and (3) where multiple cuckoo eggs are laid in the same nest, they were unrelated. These results indicate that females do not defend exclusive territories, and males do not defend multiple females (polygyny). Instead, little bronze-cuckoos appear to have a non-territorial, promiscuous mating system. Our results are consistent with theoretical predictions that polygamy is more likely to evolve in species that are emancipated from parental care, where there are plenty of available mates, and where home ranges are not defended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genes involved in reproduction often evolve rapidly at the sequence level due to postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) driven by male–male competition and male–female sexual conflict, but the impact of PCSS on gene expression has been under‐explored. Further, though multiple tissues contribute to male reproductive success, most studies have focused on the testes. To explore the influence of mating system variation on reproductive tract gene expression in natural populations, we captured adult males from monogamous Peromyscus californicus and polygynandrous P. boylii and P. maniculatus. We generated RNAseq libraries, quantified gene expression in the testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and liver, and identified 3627 mating system‐associated differentially expressed genes (MS‐DEGs), where expression shifted in the same direction in P. maniculatus and P. boylii relative to P. californicus. Gene expression variation was most strongly associated with mating behaviour in the seminal vesicles, where 89% of differentially expressed genes were MS‐DEGs, including the key seminal fluid proteins Svs2 and Pate4. We also used published rodent genomes to test for positive and relaxed selection on Peromyscus‐expressed genes. Though we did not observe more overlap than expected by chance between MS‐DEGs and positively selected genes, 203 MS‐DEGs showed evidence of positive selection. Fourteen reproductive genes were under tree‐wide positive selection but convergent relaxed selection in P. californicus and Microtus ochrogaster, a distantly related monogamous species. Changes in transcript abundance and gene sequence evolution in association with mating behaviour suggest that male mice may respond to sexual selection intensity by altering aspects of sperm motility, sperm‐egg binding and copulatory plug formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The past 15 years have seen increasing attention to relationship factors among sexual minority male (SMM) couples at high risk for HIV infection. Research has largely focused on HIV prevention outcomes. Outcomes relevant to SMM living with HIV have received relatively less attention. Purpose This study evaluated associations between relational covariates (relationship status, sexual agreements, and seroconcordance) and HIV care cascade outcomes (having a current antiretroviral therapy [ART] prescription, ART adherence, viral load (VL) testing, and VL detectability) above and beyond cannabis and stimulant drug use. Methods Adult SMM (n = 36,874) living with HIV in the USA were recruited between November 1, 2017 and March 15, 2020 through social networking applications. They completed a cross-sectional survey online. Results Nonmonogamous SMM with serodiscordant partners were most likely to have an ART prescription. Those with seroconcordant partners (regardless of sexual agreements) were least likely to be adherent. While relational covariates were not associated with VL testing, SMM in nonmonogamous relationships with serodiscordant partners were significantly more likely to have an undetectable VL. Those in monogamous relationships with seroconcordant partners were significantly less likely to have an undetectable VL. Conclusions SMM with seroconcordant partners and monogamous sexual agreements may experience diminished interpersonal motivation for HIV care engagement. HIV care cascade retention messages that emphasize the prevention of onward transmission may have limited relevance for these SMM. Novel intervention strategies are needed to enhance HIV care outcomes in this population, ideally ones that incorporate attention to drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory lateralisation, defined as the separation of functions for processing information from the sensory organs between the hemispheres of the brain, is a variable characteristic of the nervous system influenced by external factors. The plasticity of lateralisation is an important factor influencing the assessment of lateralisation on individual and population levels. We tested the influence of sunlight and time of the day on the visual lateralisation of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons when following their partners. Most of the individuals showed no preference to observe a partner with one of their eyes. Among the lateralised birds, a significant prevalence of right-eyed individuals was revealed. The highest proportion of lateralised individuals was observed in cloudy conditions. Direct sunlight, particularly in the morning, interfered with the emergence of visual lateralisation. Thus, the effect of sunlight and time of the day on lateralisation in birds should be taken into account when evaluating lateralisation in field observations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As various forms of nonmonogamy have grown in social visibility, the subject has received academic treatment across a range of literatures, including philosophy. To aid in philosophical treatment, the paper addresses the narrow but fundamental topic of the meaning of nonmonogamy. By engaging with recent literature, it examines nonmonogamy as the rejection of or opposition to monogamy. After exploring the nature of opposition in this case, the paper develops the beginnings of a more detailed theory of nonmonogamy. How do monogamy and nonmonogamy relate? If nonmonogamy is a rejection, what content does the concept of nonmonogamy have? The paper does not criticize monogamy or defend nonmonogamy, but it aims to take part in building the conceptual foundations for nonmonogamy as a political project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This creative-critical essay tells the collective life story of couples, by drawing together memoir and other texts (film, art, photography, biographical fragments) and social observation. It is inspired by two things: the 'immersive coupledom' (Laura Kipnis's term) enforced by the Covid lockdowns; and a series of recent essaycum-memoirs that have explored the experience either of being single or being in a couple. These books note the resilience of 'the couple norm' even as feminist and LGBTQ+ movements have challenged other societal norms. My essay also examines my own life as a single man, but tangentially, by considering its opposite: coupledom. Unpacking the unquestioned norm of coupledom is, I argue, a way of thinking about the hidden strangeness of our mundane lives--how love and care get routinised, and how the stories we tell about human relationships become true by default. But I also suggest that coupledom can't just be reduced to a story, a heteronormative convention. A couple is, like the human beings who comprise it, a beautiful, maddening, undeterminable mess. Every couple is a social invention, but also a one-off, an anomaly, a dataset of one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We ask whether artificially induced testosterone pulses (T-pulses), administered to males in the wild at the territory boundary, adjust location preferences within the territory. Multiple transient T-pulses occurring after social interactions in males can alter behaviour and spatial preferences. We previously found that T-pulses administered at the nest induce male California mice, a biparental and territorial species, to spend more time at the nest likely through conditioned place preferences. We hypothesized that T’s reinforcing effects would increase future time by the T-injected males at the boundary and promote territorial defence. Contrary to predictions, T-pulses induced a decrease in male time at the boundary, and instead appeared to promote male territorial/home range expansion, accompanied by shorter sustained vocalizations (SVs) and decreased proportion of three SV bouts. Shorter SVs are associated with aggression in the laboratory. Furthermore, in response to T-male behavioural changes, uninjected female partners decreased boundary time. Our results suggest new functions for socially induced T-pulses, such as extending territorial boundaries/home ranges. Location preferences induced through reinforcing/rewarding mechanisms may be more plastic and dependent on physical and social contexts than previously thought. Moreover, the results suggest that location preferences produced through rewarding/reinforcing mechanisms can be viewed from adaptive perspectives to influence future behaviour.

This paper takes the position that the discourses of science and morality are not distinct within biology education; rather, they inform each other to produce, discipline, and regulate human sexuality. Our analysis of the medical and moral discussion on sexuality in a secondary school science textbook (the 12th standard National Council for Educational Research and Training textbook), along with insights from interviews with teachers, reveals that the texts portray a romanticized notion of sex that is limited to a monogamous heterosexual relationship. In the first part of the paper, we analyze how the biology textbook discusses "safer sex" in the limited context of sexually transmitted diseases and how scientific knowledge produces specific sexual subjectivities and categories. In our view, the portrayal of "normal sex" in the textbook is valueladen and not inconsequential. We also examine the discursive devices employed by the textbook to assert what is considered "culturally appropriate." The second part of the paper focuses on interviews with three biology teachers from Keralam, India. Discourse analysis is used as a methodology to explore how teachers occasionally use scientific and moral arguments interchangeably. We discuss some examples where teachers use cultural and moral ideals to justify the scientific claims in the textbook. For instance, when the textbook focuses on how "promiscuity" produces disease, teachers emphasize how promiscuity can lead to sexual anarchy, fatherless children, unsatisfied spouses, and broken relations. We argue that the teachers, along with the textbook, intertwine scientific facts with moral sensibilities, articulating a view of science, technology, and medicine that aligns with socio-cultural norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the reduced density matrices of a generalized W-class (GW) state with respect to arbitrary partitions, we investigate the monogamy and polygamy inequalities of concurrence and concurrence of assistance (CoA), respectively. For a partially coherent superposition of a GW state and a vacuum under any partitions, we present monogamy and polygamy inequalities of the convex-roof extended negativity and the convex-roof extended negativity of assistance, respectively. We prove that these monogamy and polygamy inequalities are tighter than the existing ones. The finer characterization of the entanglement distribution is illustrated by detailed examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships has been increasing in the general population in recent years. However, given the cultural dominance of monogamy and the normative expectations often imposed through socialization (i.e., mononormativity), people in CNM relationships may experience negativity, which can become internalized and harm their individual and relationship health. The present study investigated if mononormativity beliefs and CNM relationship stigma were associated with more dehumanization and if internalized CNM negativity was an underlying mechanism for these associations. Results showed that participants who endorsed more mononormative beliefs and CNM relationship stigma also reported more internalized CNM negativity. In turn, participants who experienced more internalized CNM negativity attributed more negative (vs. positive) emotions to themselves and treated their partners as more immature, unrefined, exploitable, and emotionless. These results show that mononormativity and internalized negativity can shape the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of CNM individuals toward themselves and their partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the ethics of monogamy and non-monogamy in relationships. The author defends the permissibility of monogamy, highlighting practical benefits such as future planning. They address objections to monogamy, arguing that it does not restrict exploration of potential relationships. The article also discusses reasons why individuals may choose monogamy, including avoiding risks and complications. The text emphasizes the importance of valuing what one currently has in a relationship. Objections to monogamy, such as fostering competition and jealousy, are also discussed. The author concludes that the choice between monogamy and non-monogamy depends on individual circumstances and neither is morally superior. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Mating systems, influenced by the social and ecological environment and individual attributes, are fundamental components of animal social organisation, impacting behaviour, animal distribution, ecosystem processes, individual reproductive success, and population dynamics. Bats are of particular interest for studies of mating systems as they are thought to exhibit a greater diversity in mating systems than any other mammalian order, and thus make great models for improving our fundamental understanding of causes and consequences of social organisation. Here, we review the current knowledge of bat mating systems. Our analyses show that research on bat mating systems has not kept pace with research on bats in general and that traditional typologies do not accommodate the mating system of several species. Therefore, we propose an alternative, functional framework to categorise mating systems of bats and by extension of other taxa. We argue that mating systems can be classified according to a male reproductive skew continuum, with an increasing skew from monogamy to true lekking. We include an additional category of lek‐like mating system along the continuum to account for previous trans‐categorical cases that have the appearance of resource defence but are functionally akin to a lek. The new framework has a total of seven categories: promiscuity, monogamy, female defence polygyny, resource defence polygyny, a lek‐like mating system, exploded classical lek, and clustered classical lek. Applying this framework to bats reveals that lek mating systems are more prevalent in bats than previously recognised. It is our aim that this review and the proposed framework provide a greater understanding of bat mating systems particularly and provoke research into the factors that shape mating systems across animal taxa more generally.

Background Gonipterus platensis Marelli, 1926 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the main defoliating beetles in Eucalyptus plantations. Biological control with egg parasitoids is one of the main control strategies for this pest and a constant supply of fresh host eggs is required to rear the parasitoids. Polyandry can influence Gonipterus oviposition by increasing female fecundity and fertility; however, the high density of individuals in laboratory colonies can lead to male harassment, resulting in lower reproduction rate. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of monoandry and polyandry on the reproduction of G. platensis and the effects of male harassment on laboratory rearing conditions. Methods Reproductive parameters were compared between three treatments: monoandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with the same male; no choice polyandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with a different male; and polyandry with choice, where the female was allowed to mate daily, but with a choice between five different males. Another experiment varying the density of males was conducted to evaluate the effect of male harassment. Results Polyandry with choice resulted in the longest period of oviposition, highest fecundity and highest number of eggs per egg capsules when compared to monoandrous females. No negative effect related to male harassment in the laboratory, such as decreased fertility, fecundity, or number of eggs per egg capsule, was detected. Conclusion Polyandry contributes to mass rearing as it increases fecundity and oviposition period on females and there is no evidence of male harassment on G. platensis.

The monogamy property of entanglement is an intriguing feature of multipartite quantum entanglement. Most entanglement measures satisfying the monogamy inequality have turned out to be convex. Whether nonconvex entanglement measures obey the monogamy inequalities remains less known at present. As a well-known measure of entanglement, the logarithmic negativity is not convex. We elucidate the constraints of multi-qubit entanglement based on the logarithmic convex-roof extended negativity (LCREN) and the logarithmic convex-roof extended negativity of assistance (LCRENoA). Using the Hamming weight derived from the binary vector associated with the distribution of subsystems, we establish monogamy inequalities for multi-qubit entanglement in terms of the α th-power ( α ≥ 4 ln 2 ) of LCREN, and polygamy inequalities utilizing the α th-power ( 0 ≤ α ≤ 2 ) of LCRENoA. We demonstrate that these inequalities give rise to tighter constraints than the existing ones. Furthermore, our monogamy inequalities are shown to remain valid for the high-dimensional states that violate the CKW monogamy inequality. Detailed examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of our results in characterizing the multipartite entanglement distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explaining the evolution of primate social organization has been fundamental to understand human sociality and social evolution more broadly. It has often been suggested that the ancestor of all primates was solitary and that other forms of social organization evolved later, with transitions being driven by various life history traits and ecological factors. However, recent research showed that many understudied primate species previously assumed to be solitary actually live in pairs, and intraspecific variation in social organization is common. We built a detailed database from primary field studies quantifying the number of social units expressing different social organizations in each population. We used Bayesian phylogenetic models to infer the probability of each social organization, conditional on several socioecological and life history predictors. Here, we show that when intraspecific variation is accounted for, the ancestral social organization of primates was inferred to be variable, with the most common social organization being pair-living but with approximately 10 to 20% of social units of the ancestral population deviating from this pattern by being solitary living. Body size and activity patterns had large effects on transitions between types of social organizations. As in other mammalian clades, pair-living is closely linked to small body size and likely more common in ancestral species. Our results challenge the assumption that ancestral primates were solitary and that pair-living evolved afterward emphasizing the importance of focusing on field data and accounting for intraspecific variation, providing a flexible statistical framework for doing so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the current discussion concerning poly families' rights, this study examined the motivational underpinnings of opposition to poly families. Grounded on the theoretical line that institutional and ideological systems can legitimize the ostracism of stigmatized groups, the current exploratory research project examined the relationship between religiosity and opposition to poly families and whether this relationship is mediated by political positioning and mononormativity in a serial fashion. Specifically, Study 1 (N = 277) examined the effect of religiosity on opposition towards polyamorous parents and whether the endorsement of conservative ideology and mononormativity would mediate this relationship. Study 2 (N = 193) replicated the first study's findings using a behavioural expression of negative stigma towards poly families' rights. Study 1 showed that opposition towards poly families might be affected by religiosity and that the impact of religiosity is mediated by conservative ideology and mononormativity. Study 2 showed that religiosity could affect opposition to poly families' rights through conservative ideology and mononormativity. This study provides evidence that the more religious participants are likely to express attitudinal and behavioural opposition towards poly families and that the more religious participants endorsed ideas based on conservative and mononormativity principles, the more they opposed poly families. The current exploratory study shows the relation between system-justifying ideological manifestations in prejudice towards poly families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the entanglement distribution and restricted shareability of the multipartite generalized W-class states and their reduced density matrix under arbitrary partitions by using monogamy and polygamy relation based on the unified-(q, s) entropy. Firstly, we provide an analytical formula of unified-(q, s) entanglement (UE) and an analytical lower bound of unified-(q, s) entanglement of assistance (UEoA) for a reduced density matrix of a generalized W-class state. Then, we use these two analytical formulas to derive the monogamy and polygamy inequalities for a reduced density matrix of a qudit generalized W-class (GW) state. We establish two partition-dependent residual entanglements based on the new monogamy relation, which is helpful to obtain a comprehensive analysis of entanglement dynamics of generalized W-class states. Further, we investigate tighter monogamy and polygamy relations based on the power of αth (α ≥ 0) for UE and βth (β ≥ 0) for UEoA, respectively. The results show that the entanglement distribution characteristics of generalized W-class states satisfying stronger constraints can be described more accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monogamy in Western countries has recently undergone criticisms, because it is perceived as an oppressive institution, adjacent to reactionary cultural values. In this article, I argue that monogamy is in fact a force of social progress and women's empowerment. I point out that, given our natural tendencies, the most likely alternative to monogamy is polygyny. By its very nature, polygyny faces a numerical difficulty, to the extent that (given the equitable male to female ratio) when one man engages in romantic or sexual relationships with multiple female partners, inequality and social conflict ensues. I present historical and sociological data that sustains the argument that polygyny is associated with greater inequality, violence, poverty and women's vulnerability. Nevertheless, while monogamy can be considered a force of social progress, I argue that the State is not morally entitled to prosecute non-monogamous lifestyles, but there may still be non-coercive ways to promote monogamy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archive data were analyzed concerning the reproduction of yellow steppe lemmings (Eolagurus luteus) in the Moscow Zoo. We used information referring to E. luteus pairs that existed during two periods: 2008–2013 (first colony) and 2017–2020 (second colony). All breeding partners in the first colony had at least one common ancestor (they originated from two females and one male) and thus were closely related to each other. The degree of relatedness of partners in the second colony was much lower. The founders of that colony were five females and five males that had originated from four pairs of unrelated individuals live-trapped in the Zaisan Basin. We conducted a comparative assessment of the life expectancy and reproductive parameters of adult yellow steppe lemmings and the survival of their offspring in two colonies, that is, we observed the effect of different degrees of inbreeding on such parameters. We also assessed the effect of female age on those values. We assigned the females to two age categories: younger (age of 15–59 days by the time of pair establishment) and older (age of 60–701 days) category. The results of statistical analysis confirmed the significant influence of the degree of relatedness of partners on the proportion of reproducing females, the number of litters per pair, the number of survived pups per pair, the mean number of pups per litter, the inter-birth interval, the female life expectancy, and the period of pair existence. The influence of female age on these parameters was insignificant. Our data provide evidence for a pronounced inbreeding depression in the first captive colony of the yellow steppe lemming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful reproduction of two subspecies of Harting's vole in monogamous pairs (monogamous groups, 35 pairs for each) was shown. The results obtained in modeling the experimental polygyny revealed a different attitude of females of the two subspecies to the formation of communal groups. In polygynous groups of M. h. lydius, regardless of the relationship of the females (35 groups consisting of sisters and 20 groups of unrelated females), the intensity of reproduction and the proportion of successfully reared pups decreased significantly compared to the monogamous groups. With high energy costs for reproduction, there were significantly fewer reared pups per mother giving birth than in the monogamous groups, thus suggesting the predominance of monogamy in this subspecies. On the contrary, related females of M. h. hartingi bred successfully in communal groups (35 groups of sisters), demonstrating a high tolerance, a tendency to co-rearing and feeding the pups, and low infant mortality. In polygynous groups consisting of unrelated females (20 groups), reproductive success decreased due to increased infant mortality. Possible benefits of communal reproduction in this subspecies are discussed, as well as the likely relationship with habitat fragmentation under such conditions and with a lack of vacancies for the dispersal of young animals, which may be an important adaptation for this subspecies of voles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infidelity is reported at high rates despite strong societal prohibitions against it, leading to questions about whether outcomes support the motives driving infidelity. Little is known about whether motives behind infidelity correspond to perceived outcomes, including regret, but such information might help to explain the paradox of the high rates. Participants were recruited from a large prospective study on monogamy. Analyses were conducted on surveys from the 94 individuals who engaged in infidelity over the year. Using structured and open-ended measures, the authors examined how infidelity evolved, patterns among motives and outcomes, and regret. Infidelity typically began at work or online, lasted about one year, and involved sex as well as feelings of infatuation or love. Most (63.4%) reported not regretting their infidelity. Motives (anger, neglect, dissatisfaction, sex) were compared with outcomes (fulfilled needs, sexual satisfaction, distress) to assess concordance. Being motivated by feelings of neglect or relationship dissatisfaction was associated with needs fulfilled by infidelity; sex as a motive was associated with sexual satisfaction as an outcome. However, concordance in motives and outcomes was unrelated to regret. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 19th-century missionary literary genre provides us with a window into how the missionaries viewed African cultural systems, such as polygamy. In their minds, polygamy was one of the obstacles to converting Africans to Christianity. Baptism functioned as a theatre of power and submission. To access baptism, a convert had to abandon and strip themselves of that which made them Africans and adopt Western colonial Christian norms and principles. In this article, we argue that the condemnation of polygamy by missionaries was a wielding of power within the colonial matrix of power. We further maintain that the decolonisation of Christianity cannot be achieved without a critical analysis of the impact of the missionaries in the deformation and labelling of African cultural identities as heathen and uncivilised. Contribution: The cultural transfer that was achieved through Christianisation, civilisation and colonisation has led to what Biko referred to as the flight from the black self and what Du Bois referred to as double consciousness. The article applies the intersectionality of theoretical lenses of Africana critical thought, Foucauldian notion of power, negritude and decoloniality.

Monogamous marriage, sometimes called "the bedrock of society," still carries an apparent "halo" of moral superiority as a relationship structure. In contrast, consensual non-monogamous (CNM) configurations are stigmatized. Research indicates a connection between stigma, stress, and negative health outcomes, despite CNM comparing favorably with monogamy. The present study uses interviews to explore minority stress and resilience among individuals in CNM relationships. Participants experienced structural stigma as erasure, and interpersonal stigma as erasure and educational/emotional work. They also describe complex enmeshment between their relationship minority status and other aspects of their sexual and gender identities. Strategic disclosure and concealment were important management tools. Furthermore, managing individual (internalized) stigma was described as unlearning mononormative bias and surrounding oneself with supportive peers/allies. The strongest motivator for perseverance was the steadfast conviction that the advantages of CNM outweighed the challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Territorial species are unlikely to show extensive movements between breeding seasons. This is especially true for long-lived species, which often have strong pair bonding and can occupy the same territory for years. However, also in such species, individuals may face situations that can lead to a territory shift. Here, we use a comprehensive dataset documenting 40 years of breeding behavior in tawny owl (Strix aluco) – a long-lived species with high site tenacity and mate fidelity – to examine the factors affecting the decisions whether or not to move to another breeding territory and how far, as well as the fitness consequences thereof. We found that the likelihood and distance of movement in either sexes is strongly associated with a change of partner, indicating that mate loss may cause breeding dispersal. Moreover, mate change, not movement to a new territory, had negative effects on subsequent reproductive performance: individuals that changed partner were more likely to skip reproduction in the subsequent year and, in those cases they bred, they produced smaller clutches and raised fewer offspring. Our findings indicate that tawny owls change territory almost exclusively when searching for a new partner and that mate change has profound consequences on their subsequent breeding performance. Overall, our study provides evidence that in tawny owls territoriality and monogamy are associated and strongly linked to fitness, but mate fidelity may be more important than site fidelity, likely because sexes are involved in specific tasks and their cooperation ensures breeding success and, consequently, increases fitness. Significance statement: Breeding dispersal, the movement of individuals between breeding sites, can entail high costs for animal fitness, especially for territorial species, which display strong site fidelity. We studied the factors associated with breeding dispersal and the consequences on breeding performances in tawny owl (Strix aluco), a highly territorial species. We found that tawny owls moved more frequently to another breeding territory when the mate died. Either sexes showed an equal probability to move, but the effect was stronger in females than in males after a mate change. Moreover, owls that changed partner showed delayed reproduction, smaller clutch and a higher probability to skip reproduction. Our findings show that in tawny owls territoriality and monogamy are associated and strongly linked to fitness, but mate fidelity may be more important than site fidelity, likely because sexes share the costs of holding the territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sexual revolution of the 20th century was based on a redefinition of the body, which led to a new postmodern sexual ideal in which the body and sexuality were freed from the limitations of biology. This phenomenon was inserted within the logic of capitalism, which proposes itself as a “theory of everything,” that is to say, comprehensive of all human reality. Sexuality thus became an object of consumption, bowing to the logic of the capitalist system in which everything can be bought and sold. This new sexual market is based on sexual freedom, giving rise to a fierce competition between users that reaffirms narcissistic, individualistic patterns. In this sense, through the theory of sexual capital, the monogamous structure that existed prior to the sexual revolution and the new polyamorous structure of postmodernity are compared, with the conclusion that the sexual revolution has generated new forms of unforeseen sexual violence.