Biology subjects

Widmer, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Widmer, P..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Evolutionary dynamics of maximal syllable complexity show no universal bias rooted in jaw biomechanics

Linguistic evolution has given rise to variation in the degree of syllable complexity that any given language permits. However, several models of language converge in predicting a universal bias towards the consonant-vowel (CV) structure (or a broader strong-weak asymmetry). This is closely tied to incremental speech processing, and in evolutionary terms has been linked to certain rhythmic orofacial displays in non-human primates. Yet, whether linguistic evolution really reflects such a universal tendency is an open question, one that we aim to address using phylogenetic comparative methods. Modeling change according to a continuous-time Markov process, we estimate transition rates for maximal onset and coda sizes (i.e. grammatical rules) across 5 language families. We demonstrate that a lineage-specific model outperforms a global model, and further explore the nature of lineage-specific long-term preferences and rates of change on multiple levels. We show that the former drive inter-family variation more than the latter. Generally, particulars turn out to impact syllable complexity more than any universal biomechanically or neurocognitively motivated biases do, implying that evolutionary continuity with our primate ancestors may have been overstated for this domain of language.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Oldest attested languages in the Near East reveal deep transformations in the distribution of linguistic features

It is an unresolved question to what extent the current frequency distributions of linguistic features inform us about what is representative of the language faculty and does not instead result from historical contingencies. We probe this question by leveraging unique data from the oldest attested languages, those preserved through writing from up to 5,000 years ago in the Ancient Near East. We examine 70 grammatical features for which there is sufficient evidence in the available records. After controlling for relatedness we find robust deviations of two of the oldest languages, Hurrian and Sumerian from both the ancient languages and the modern distribution. The spatial and temporal placement of these two languages reveal a divergent distribution of features in the region in prehistory, suggesting massive transformations of the linguistic distributions in the past few millennia. This challenges inferences about general characteristics of language based on modern distributions.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2021

A DNA Replication-Independent Function of the pre-Replication Complex during Cell Invasion in C. elegans

Cell invasion is an initiating event during tumor cell metastasis and an essential process during development. A screen of C. elegans orthologs of genes over-expressed in invasive human melanoma cells has identified several components of the conserved DNA pre-replication complex (pre-RC) as positive regulators of anchor cell (AC) invasion. The pre-RC functions cell-autonomously in the G1-arrested AC to promote invasion, independently of its role in licensing DNA replication origins in proliferating cells. While the helicase activity of the pre-RC is necessary for AC invasion, the downstream acting DNA replication initiation factors are not required. The pre-RC promotes the invasive fate by regulating the expression of extracellular matrix genes and components of the PI3K signaling pathway. Increasing PI3K pathway activity partially suppressed the AC invasion defects caused by pre-RC depletion, suggesting that the PI3K pathway is one critical pre-RC target. We propose that the pre-RC acts in the non-proliferating AC as a transcriptional regulator that facilitates the switch to an invasive phenotype.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Languages, evolution and statistics: human sound systems were shaped by changes in bite configuration. Response to Tarasov & Uyeda (2020)

In Blasi et al. (2019) we have shown, through a series of statistical analyses and models, that human sound systems have been affected by a transition in bite configuration starting from the Neolithic. Tarasov and Uyeda (2020) (henceforth T&U) raise a number of observations in relation to our article. We appreciate T&Us engagement with our work and their sharing of the code and data of the analyses reported. In brief, their technical comment involves five analyses: O_LIBinomial Causal Models (BCM) C_LIO_LILinear Regression of across-area variation in labiodentals and subsistence C_LIO_LIPredictive Posterior Simulations (PPS) C_LIO_LIPoisson Linear Regression (PLR): model comparison C_LIO_LIPhylogenetic Analyses C_LI In what follows, we show that the discrepancies they report between our findings and theirs are due mostly to ill-specified models, weak (or missing) statistical evidence, and a misinterpretation of our results. After these issues are addressed, we conclude that T&Us claims do not hold.

evolutionary biology↗