bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kapitza resistance of Si/SiO2 interface
Authors: Deng B. , Chernatynskiy A. , Khafizov M. , Hurley D. H. , Phillpot S. R.
Published: February 2014

A phonon wave packet dynamics method is used to characterize the Kapitza resistance of a Si/SiO2 interface in a Si/SiO2/Si heterostructure. By varying the thickness of SiO2 layer sandwiched between two Si layers, we determine the Kapitza resistance for the Si/SiO2 interface from both wave packet dynamics and a direct, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics approach. The good agreement between the two methods indicates that they have each captured the anharmonic phonon scatterings at the interface. Moreover, detailed analysis provides insights as to how individual phonon mode scatters at the interface and their contribution to the Kapitza resistance.
Electric-field assisted depinning and nucleation of magnetic domain walls in FePt/Al2O3/liquid gate structures
Authors: Herrera Diez L. , Bernand-Mantel A. , Vila L. , Warin P. , Marty A. , Ono S. , Givord D. , Ranno L.
Published: February 2014

We present a magneto-optical Kerr effect study of the magnetization reversal in a FePt/Al2O3 structure under electric (E) fields generated in a liquid electrolyte environment. The FePt film was partially covered with a thick Al2O3 layer that allowed for the study of a pinned domain wall between two regions of different coercive field. Depinning of the trapped domain wall into the region of higher coercivity was achieved by applying positive gate voltages during the magnetic field ramp and prevented in the presence of negative gate voltages. Moving from positive to negative gate voltages produced, in addition, an increase (decrease) in the number (size) of reverse domains in the high anisotropy region. This effect has been associated to an E-field induced decrease of the saturation field. Using a liquid gate to assist domain wall depinning as presented here can be used for the control of multiple pinning structures in parallel.
Detection of a 2.8 THz quantum cascade laser with a semiconductor nanowire field-effect transistor coupled to a bow-tie antenna
Authors: Ravaro M. , Locatelli M. , Viti L. , Ercolani D. , Consolino L. , Bartalini S. , Sorba L. , Vitiello M. S. , De Natale P.
Published: February 2014

The use of a high-electron mobility semiconductor nanowire as transistor channel has recently allowed the extension of the spectral coverage of THz field-effect transistor detectors up to 1.5 THz. In this report, we demonstrate efficient operation of a field-effect transistor detector based on a semiconductor nanowire at a much higher frequency, 2.8 THz, with a responsivity ≈5 V/W in a bandwidth ≈100 kHz, thus proving the full potential of such approach for the detection of THz quantum cascade lasers. Finally, such a THz sensing system is exploited to perform raster scan transmission imaging, with high spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and acquisition rate.
Electroplated L10 CoPt thick-film permanent magnets
Authors: Oniku Ololade D. , Qi Bin , Arnold David P.
Published: February 2014

The fabrication and magnetic characterization of 15-μm-thick electroplated L10 CoPt hard magnets with good magnetic properties is reported in this paper. Experimental study of the dependence of the magnets' properties on annealing temperature reveals that an intrinsic coercivity Hci = ∼800 kA/m (10 kOe), squareness >0.8, and energy product of >150 kJ/m3 are obtained for photolithographically patterned structures (250 μm × 2 mm stripes; 15 μm thickness) electroplated on silicon substrates and annealed in hydrogen forming gas at 700 °C. Scanning electron microscopy is used to inspect the morphology of both the as-deposited and annealed magnetic layers, and X-ray Diffractometer analysis on the magnets annealed at 700 °C confirm a phase transformation to an ordered L10 CoPt structure, with a minor phase of hcp Co. These thick films are intended for microsystems/MEMS applications.
Cascaded optical limiter with low activating and high damage thresholds using single-layer graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Xiong Yaobing , Yan Lihe , Si Jinhai , Yi Wenhui , Ding Wen , Tan Wenjiang , Liu Xin , Chen Feng , Hou Xun
Published: February 2014

The optical limiting (OL) properties of single-layer graphene dispersions at 532 and 1064 nm wavelengths were investigated using a nanosecond laser. The experimental results show that the activating threshold of the single-layer graphene dispersed in chlorobenzene (CB) is lower than that of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by a factor of 10. The nonlinear scattering experiments for the graphene dispersions indicate that the main mechanism of the OL properties is nonlinear scattering effect, whereas nonlinear absorption might contribute to the OL effect of graphene in CB. To enlarge the damage threshold of the limiter, we propose a cascaded optical limiter by combining the advantages of low activating threshold for the graphene and the high damage threshold for the SWNTs. The cascaded optical limiter shows a low activating threshold, a high damage threshold, and broadband OL properties.
Numerical simulations of the mutual effect among the superconducting constituents in a levitation system with translational symmetry
Authors: Ma Guang-Tong , Liu Huan , Li Xing-Tian , Zhang Han , Xu Yuan-Yuan
Published: February 2014

By the introduction of a generalized magnetic vector potential, which contains the contributions of both the magnetic and electric parts, and the use of the Ampere's law within the quasistatic approximation as the state equation, the partial differential equations for governing the electromagnetic properties of superconductors as well as the surrounding coolant were established and numerically discretized by resorting to the finite-element technique and finite-difference scheme, respectively, in the spatial and temporal domain. In conjunction with an analytic method to calculate the magnetic field generated by permanent magnet, we compiled a numerical tool for performing an intricate study of the mutual effect among the superconducting constituents in a superconducting levitation system with translational symmetry. Taking a superconducting unit with three constituents inside as a practice, we simulated the electromagnetic responses of this unit while moving in the nonuniform magnetic field generated by permanent magnet guideway and, identified the influences of the mutual effect on the levitation force as well as on the distributions of the magnetic flux density, the supercurrent density, and the levitation force density by comparing to an envisaged reference, one constituent was simulated with all the rest absent to remove the mutual effect. The insights attained by the present study, mostly being inaccessible from the experiments, are aimed to provide useful implications for the design of a superconducting levitation system for the transit and analogous purposes, which usually employ multiple superconductors to achieve the desired capability.
A magneto-mechano-electric coupling equivalent circuit of piezoelectric bimorph/magnets composite cantilever
Authors: Liu Guoxi , Dong Shuxiang
Published: February 2014

In this study, a magneto-mechano-electric (MME) composite cantilever made of a piezoelectric bimorph and magnets for low-frequency magnetoelectric (ME) coupling was analyzed theoretically and its MME coupling equivalent circuit was developed. Based on equivalent circuit analyses, the dependences of the ME performances, i.e., the ME voltage and charge coefficients, upon the material constants and geometrical parameters of the MME composite cantilever are numerically evaluated. The obtained ME equivalent circuit model provides a theoretical basis to understand and improve the performance of the MME composite cantilever for low-frequency ME coupling.
Preparation of anti-adhesion surfaces on aluminium substrates of rubber plastic moulds using a coupling method of liquid plasma and electrochemical machining
Authors: Meng Jianbing , Dong Xiaojuan , Wei Xiuting , Yin Zhanmin
Published: February 2014

Hard anti-adhesion surfaces, with low roughness and wear resistance, on aluminium substrates of rubber plastic moulds were fabricated via a new coupling method of liquid plasma and electrochemical machining. With the aid of liquid plasma thermal polishing and electrochemical anodic dissolution, micro/nano-scale binary structures were prepared as the base of the anti-adhesion surfaces. The anti-adhesion behaviours of the resulting aluminium surfaces were analysed by a surface roughness measuring instrument, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), an optical contact angle meter, a digital Vickers micro-hardness (Hv) tester, and electronic universal testing. The results show that, after the liquid plasma and electrochemical machining, micro/nano-scale binary structures composed of micro-scale pits and nano-scale elongated boss structures were present on the sample surfaces. As a result, the anti-adhesion surfaces fabricated by the above coupling method have good anti-adhesion properties, better wear resistance and lower roughness.
Epitaxial c-axis oriented BaTiO3 thin films on SrTiO3-buffered Si(001) by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Ngo Thong Q. , Posadas Agham B. , McDaniel Martin D. , Hu Chengqing , Bruley John , Yu Edward T. , Demkov Alexander A. , Ekerdt John G.
Published: February 2014

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of epitaxial c-axis oriented BaTiO3 (BTO) on Si(001) using a thin (1.6 nm) buffer layer of SrTiO3 (STO) grown by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The ALD growth of crystalline BTO films at 225  °C used barium bis(triisopropylcyclopentadienyl), titanium tetraisopropoxide, and water as co-reactants. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals a high degree of crystallinity and c-axis orientation of as-deposited BTO films. Crystallinity is improved after vacuum annealing at 600  °C. Two-dimensional XRD confirms the tetragonal structure and orientation of 7–20-nm thick films. The effect of the annealing process on the BTO structure is discussed. A clean STO/Si interface is found using in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and confirmed by cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy. The capacitance-voltage characteristics of 7–20 nm-thick BTO films are examined and show an effective dielectric constant of ∼660 for the heterostructure.
Persistence traits in perennial pasture grasses: the case of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.)
Authors: Culvenor R. A. , Simpson R. J.
Published: February 2014

Persistence is consistently claimed by Australian farmers as a high priority for perennial grasses in long-term pastures. Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) is a productive perennial grass with proven persistence in south-eastern Australia. Nevertheless, factors that determine the persistence of pasture species in southern Australia related to climate (drought), soil (acidity), grazing pressure, and, importantly, their interaction can reduce persistence of phalaris and other species in various situations. These factors and their interactions are discussed in this review, and strategies to improve persistence with emphasis on plant breeding approaches are considered, with the most durable outcomes achieved when breeding and management options are employed concurrently. Two examples of breeding to improve persistence traits in phalaris are described. A program to improve acid-soil tolerance resulted first in the release of cv. Landmaster, and recently Advanced AT, which is the most aluminium (Al)-tolerant cultivar of phalaris to date. It was bred by recurrent selection on acid soils in a population containing genes from a related, more Al-tolerant species, P. arundinacea. The higher Al tolerance of cv. Advanced AT is of most benefit in more assured establishment on acid soils under variable moisture conditions and confers improved flexibility of sowing date. Cultivar Holdfast GT was bred to address complaints of poor persistence under heavy grazing by cultivars of the highly productive, winter-active type, since high grazing tolerance is needed to achieve profitable returns from developed pastureland. Evidence of good persistence under grazing for cv. Holdfast GT and possible tradeoffs with productivity are discussed. Maintaining high productivity under a predicted higher incidence of drought stress (climate change) and increasing areas of acid soils presents ongoing challenges for persistence in pastures.
Truncation and backshift
Authors: Izutsu Mitsuko Narita , Izutsu Katsunobu
Published: February 2014

This article deals with so-called sentence-final coordinating conjunctions in some dialectal varieties of English and Japanese. It emphasises that such final coordinating conjunctions derive from two syntactically different processes (“truncation” and “backshift”), and demonstrates that the final conjunctions stemming from each process differ accordingly in syntactic, prosodic, and discourse-pragmatic terms. In both English and Japanese, the backshift type of sentence-final coordinating conjunctions (i) can be fronted to sentence/clause-initial position with no semantic/logical contradiction, (ii) have a sentence-final contour, (iii) do not tolerate being followed by a filler or interjectory particle, and (iv) express emphatic or emotive meanings. On the other hand, the truncation type of sentence-final coordinating conjunctions show the opposite characteristics. The cross-linguistic commonality observed in each of the two types of sentence-final coordinating conjunctions strongly suggests that their discourse-pragmatic meanings are cross-linguistically associated with syntactic/grammatical repertoires, such as truncation, backshift, and sentence-final position.
Speech event analysis of seventeenth-century military protocol in Hamlet, 1.1
Authors: Lanteigne Betty
Published: February 2014

The opening scene of Hamlet portrays two military-related speech events — changing of the guard and unknown persons approaching a sentry. This article utilizes insights from military history, Shakespearean playhouse practice, and military protocol pragmatics to analyze these speech events. Diachronic pragmatics investigation reveals military protocol for changing of the guard portrayed by Shakespeare has continued to be followed from the late 1500s to the present time.

Identifying early seventeenth-century military protocol for guard duty at night and analyzing the function of the opening scene in Shakespearean theater, the article compares use of direct and indirect speech acts, including use of conventional and institutional ellipses, in the 1603 Quarto and 1623 First Folio. Pragmatic stylistic analysis shows the Folio version violates military protocol through use of more indirect speech acts, including expressives, unusual in these two military speech events, more effectively portraying underlying tension through the sentries’ sense of an inward, personally disturbing threat than the Quarto’s presentation of straightforward military protocol regarding unknown persons approaching sentries on duty.
Nominalizing Inner Aspect
Authors: Ritter Elizabeth
Published: February 2014

Blackfoot abstract nominalizations are deverbal process/result nominalizations with rather unusual properties: They are never derived from morphologically transitive verbs, and as a consequence do not license a DP or NP object, but if they have a possessor, it must refer to the agent of the source verb. Moreover, they may contain tense and aspect prefixes, but not temporal adverbs. Assuming that they are nominalizations of some clausal functional category, I interpret these facts as evidence of cross-linguistic variation in clausal functional categories. Following Ritter and Wiltschko (2009; to appear), I assume that clausal functional categories in Blackfoot have participant-based, rather than temporal substantive content, and show that abstract nominalizations are nominalized I(nner)-AspP in a language with atemporal functional categories.
Nominalization instead of modification
Authors: Wilhelm Andrea
Published: February 2014

In Dënesųłıné, an underdocumented indigenous language of Canada, the nominalization of full, finite clauses is highly productive. As a contribution to language description as well as to the study of nominalization, I show many examples of this construction, and give evidence that they are indeed nominalizations. I also show that these nominalizations are used instead of attributive modification of a noun, i.e. instead of adjectives and relative clauses. This fact turns out to be theoretically highly significant, because, as I argue, it is a strong piece of evidence that nouns in Dënesųłıné are inherently entities (type 〈e〉). Based on Chierchia’s (1998) nominal mapping parameter, I develop a typology where nouns in some languages are mapped to type 〈e〉 and, unlike better-known type 〈e〉 languages such as Mandarin, remain of that type throughout the derivation, without ever shifting to the predicative type, 〈e,t〉. I speculate on reasons for the emergence of this kind of language, and based on Dënesųłıné, develop its major characteristics.
Malagasy fact- and claim-type nominals
Authors: Travis Lisa deMena , Ranaivoson Jeannot-Fils , Botouhely Jean Lewis
Published: February 2014

Malagasy has two characteristics that are interesting for a study of nominalizations: (i) one expresses ‘the fact that x’ with a nominalized form of the verb used when an adjunct is extracted, (ii) non-derived nominals expressing notions such as ‘the idea’ or ‘the statement’ cannot take CP complements directly. We explore these facts within the context of Kayne’s claim that nouns cannot take complements and that apparent CP complements are relative clauses. We suggest (i) that the verb form used to express ‘the fact that x’ is created through adjunct relativization, and (ii) that nouns in Malagasy may only take CP complements if either they are derived from verbs or if the sentential complements contain a verb-like head.
Derivation by gender in Lithuanian
Authors: Armoskaite Solveiga
Published: February 2014

For a long time, grammatical gender has been viewed solely as a feature inherent to nouns and necessary to track agreement between noun and other elements within an utterance (Aikhenvald 2003; Hockett 1958; Corbett 1991). However, since the seminal article of Ritter (1991), other uses and characteristics of gender as an abstract feature have been brought to light. For example, gender has been argued to play a role in numeral classification (Mathieu 2012), or serve as an expression of speaker perspective (Armoskaite & Wiltschko 2012; Gerdts 2011). This study focuses on the role of gender in the derivation of nouns. Based on Lithuanian (Baltic), the paper argues that gender may derive nouns from nouns, adjectives and verbs.
Constituent order in Flemish Sign Language (VGT) and South African Sign Language (SASL)
Authors: Vermeerbergen Myriam , Van Herreweghe Mieke , Akach Philemon , Matabane Emily
Published: February 2014

This paper reports on a comparison of word order issues, and more specifically on the order of the verb and its arguments, in two unrelated sign languages: South African Sign Language and Flemish Sign Language. The study comprises the first part of a larger project in which a number of grammatical mechanisms and structures are compared across the two sign languages, using a corpus consisting of similar VGT and SASL-data of a various nature. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to a further understanding of the issue of the degree of similarity across unrelated sign languages. However, the different studies also mean a further exploration of the grammars of the two languages involved. In this paper the focus is on the analysis of isolated declarative sentences elicited by means of pictures. The results yield some interesting similarities across all signers but also indicate that — especially with regard to constituent order — there are important differences between the two languages.
How to recognise a sentence when you see one
Authors: Crasborn Onno A.
Published: February 2014

This introduction outlines the general theme of this issue of Sign Language & Linguistics: the identification of sentences and sentence boundaries in signed languages. First, several definitions of and perspectives on the unit ‘sentence’ stemming from the linguistic literature are discussed. Secondly, some of the problems with applying these ideas to signed languages will be discussed, as well as different methodological means of establishing a sentence unit in signed language data. Finally, the contributions in this volume are introduced in the light of this linguistic context.
The equative sentence in Finnish Sign Language
Authors: Jantunen Tommi
Published: February 2014

It is argued in this paper that equative sentences in Finnish Sign Language (FinSL) conform to the general schema of (NP) NP+(PI+)NP, parenthesis marking optionality of elements. With respect to this schema, it is further argued, (a) that the function of the first NP in equative sentences is always topic; (b) that topics are marked syntactically, prosodically, and morphologically in FinSL; (c) that the preferred organisation of equative sentences in general is topic-comment; (d) that there are two structurally distinct topic-comment structures in FinSL, one having the topic at the beginning of the clause and the other having the topic in the left-detached clause-external position; (e) that the double-indexing phenomenon (cf. pronoun copy) is functionally a means to increase textual cohesion; and (f) that the sign PI in equative sentences is a certainty expressing modal device, although it may be in the process of grammaticalising into a copula.
Seeing sentence boundaries
Authors: Fenlon Jordan , Denmark Tanya , Campbell Ruth , Woll Bencie
Published: February 2014

Linguists have suggested that non-manual and manual markers are used in sign languages to indicate prosodic and syntactic boundaries. However, little is known about how native signers interpret non-manual and manual cues with respect to sentence boundaries. Six native signers of British Sign Language (BSL) were asked to mark sentence boundaries in two narratives: one presented in BSL and one in Swedish Sign Language (SSL). For comparative analysis, non-signers undertook the same tasks. Results indicated that both native signers and non-signers were able to use visual cues effectively in segmentation and that their decisions were not dependent on knowledge of the signed language. Signed narratives contain visible cues to their prosodic structure which are available to signers and non-signers alike.
One hand or two?
Authors: Cormier Kearsy , Schembri Adam C. , Tyrone Martha E.
Published: February 2014

In this paper, we focus on the nativisation process as a fully fingerspelled word or fingerspelled letters become a fingerspelled loan or initialised sign. Previous models of nativisation (e.g., Brentari & Padden 2001) have described forms derived from one-handed fingerspelling systems; however, fingerspelling can be either one- or two-handed. Thus we propose an extension of Brentari & Padden’s model that accounts for varying degrees of nativisation based on the extent to which native parameters (i.e., native handshapes, movements, locations and native combinations of the three) exist within a given sign. According to the extended model, there are five main criteria for delineating nativisation — the extent to which: (1) forms adhere to phonological constraints of the native lexicon, (2) parameters of the forms occur in the native lexicon, (3) native elements are added, (4) non-native elements are reduced (e.g., letters lost), and (5) native elements are integrated with non-native elements.
Handshape coding made easier
Authors: Eccarius Petra , Brentari Diane
Published: February 2014

This paper describes a notation system for the handshapes of sign languages that is theoretically motivated, grounded in empirical data, and economical in design. The system was constructed using the Prosodic Model of Sign Language Phonology. Handshapes from three lexical components — core, fingerspelling, and classifiers — were sampled from ten different sign languages resulting in a system that is relatively comprehensive and cross-linguistic. The system was designed to use only characters on a standard keyboard, which makes the system compatible with any database program. The notation is made relatively easy to learn and implement because the handshapes, along with their notations, are provided in convenient charts of photographs from which the notation can be copied. This makes the notation system quickly learnable by even inexperienced transcribers.
Children’s encoding of simultaneity in British Sign Language narratives
Authors: Morgan Gary
Published: February 2014

Narrative discourse in BSL is first analyzed in an adult signer by describing how fixed and shifted sign space is used for reference and the encoding of simultaneity. Although children as young as 4 years old use parts of these sign spaces in isolation their combined use in encoding simultaneity in narrative is a major hurdle to achieving full mastery of British Sign Language (BSL). The paper describes the developmental trends in encoding simultaneity in BSL ‘frog story’ narratives from a group of 12 signing children, aged 4; 3 to 13; 4. We focus on the gradual control of reference in sign space. A transcription framework for recording this aspect of sign discourse is also outlined. The results point away from the role of iconicity and instead toward general patterns in narrative development as driving the organization of sign space and reference.
Insights into person deixis
Authors: Berenz Norine
Published: February 2014

Widely accepted analyses of personal pronouns in sign languages present systems that differ in a crucial way from pronominal systems in oral languages and violate linguistic universals proposed by Benveniste, Bühler, Lyons, and others. These analyses argue that the two necessary conversational roles — sender and recipient — are not grammaticized in first and second person pronouns, respectively. This paper presents findings of a detailed analysis of pronominal reference in video-recorded, naturally occurring Brazilian Sign Language conversations which show consistent pairings of form and meaning. On this basis, I argue that the LSB personal pronoun system encodes the two necessary conversational roles. A re-examination of several ASL examples provides additional evidence. I conclude that, in LSB and ASL personal pronouns, space is only epiphenomenal, an idea first articulated by Padden (1990:118).
Information structure and reference tracking in complex sentences
Authors: Matić Dejan , van Gijn Rik , Van Valin Jr. Robert D.
Published: February 2014

This volume is dedicated to exploring the crossroads where complex sentences and information management – more specifically information structure (IS) and reference tracking (RT) – come together. Complex sentences are a highly relevant but understudied domain for studying notions of IS and RT. On the one hand, a complex sentence can be studied as a mini-unit of discourse consisting of two or more elements describing events, situations, or processes, with its own internal information-structural and referential organisation. On the other hand, complex sentences can be studied as parts of larger discourse structures, such as narratives or conversations, in terms of how their information-structural characteristics relate to this wider context.We first focus on the interrelatedness of IS and RT (Section 1) and then define and discuss the notion of complex sentences and their subtypes in Section 2. Section 3 surveys issues of IS in complex sentences, while Section 4 focuses on RT in complex sentences. Sections 5 and 6 briefly consider IS and RT in a wider discourse context. Section 5 discusses the interaction between IS, RT, and other discourse factors, and Section 6 focuses on ways in which a specific RT system, switch reference, can function as an RT device beyond the sentence.
Subordinate clauses and exclusive focus in Makhuwa
Authors: van der Wal Jenneke
Published: February 2014

In Makhuwa the element immediately after the conjoint verb form is interpreted as exclusive focus (Van der Wal 2011). This paper shows that the relation between the conjoint verb form and focus in Immediate After Verb (IAV) position holds not only for nouns and simple adverbs, but also for adverbial subordinate clauses with a relative or Situative verb, which are clearly focused when they follow a conjoint verb form. I propose that the reason that sentential complements do not receive a focus interpretation in the same position is due to the absence of internal information structure in the adverbial clauses. Hence, adverbial clauses but not complement clauses function as a single integrated informational unit in the information structure of the main clause. Keywords: Makhuwa; exclusive focus; subordinate clause; information structure
Left dislocation and subordination in Avatime (Kwa)
Authors: van Putten Saskia
Published: February 2014

Left dislocation is characterized by a sentence-initial element which is crossreferenced in the remainder of the sentence, and often set off by an intonation break. Because of these properties, left dislocation has been analyzed as an extraclausal phenomenon. Whether or not left dislocation can occur within subordinate clauses has been a matter of debate in the literature, but has never been checked against corpus data. This paper presents data from Avatime, a Kwa (Niger-Congo) language spoken in Ghana, showing that left dislocation occurs within subordinate clauses in spontaneous discourse. This poses a problem for the extraclausal analysis of left dislocation. I show that this problem can best be solved by assuming that Avatime allows the embedding of units larger than a clause. Keywords: Avatime; left dislocation; subordinate clause; complement clause
Chechen extraposition as an information ordering strategy
Authors: Komen Erwin R.
Published: February 2014

Relative clauses in Chechen normally precede their heads, but corpus research shows that about 2% of them appear in an extraposed position. Scrutiny of these instances reveals that there is no link between extraposition of a relative clause and the pragmatic category (focus vs. topic) of the head. When it comes to restrictive relative clauses, which consist of two parts that only together allow for identification of the complex noun phrase’s referent, this study finds that the head can only occur in the focus position (immediately before the finite verb), and that it is often involved in contrast and comes with heightened emphasis. I interpret this as a result of the tension that is built-up due to the delay in identification. Keywords: Chechen; relative clause; extraposition; information structure
Mood selection in the complement of negation matrices in Spanish
Authors: Ibarluzea Patxi Laskurain
Published: February 2014

Following Lambrecht’s (1994, 2001) theory of Information Structure and drawing a conceptual parallel with Mejías-Bikandi’s (1994, 1998) account of mood distribution in Spanish complements, this study analyzes mood selection in the complement of negation and doubt matrices in Spanish in terms of the informational value of the proposition expressed in these complements. The main conclusion is that the use of the subjunctive mood in the complements of negation and doubt matrices is not motivated because these complements express a proposition known to be false, as it has been traditionally claimed in the literature, but rather because these complements express a proposition treated as present in the consciousness of both speaker and audience at the time of utterance. Keywords: Spanish; mood; subjunctive; complements
Repeated dependent clauses in Yurakaré
Authors: van Gijn Rik
Published: February 2014

Yurakaré (isolate, Bolivia) has two constructions, both restricted to narratives, involving repetition of chunks of speech in the form of a dependent clause, marked for switch-reference. In the first construction, tail-head linkage, material from the previous sentence is repeated as a background to the next. The predicate in this repetition is marked for switch-reference. This construction clearly plays a role in structuring information in narratives in several ways. The second construction, called the repeated citation construction, involves a repetition of the predicate of a direct quote, marked with one of the two same-subject markers (realis versus irrealis). I argue that the formal similarities between these constructions relate to discourse-functional similarities, underlining the intimate connection between switch-reference systems and discourse. Keywords: Yurakaré; switch reference; reality status; dependent clauses; tail-head linkage
Clause chaining, switch reference and nominalisations in Aguaruna (Jivaroan)
Authors: Overall Simon E.
Published: February 2014

This paper describes reference tracking strategies in Aguaruna, a Jivaroan language of north Peru. I take a functional and holistic approach to the description, and argue that different types of dependent clauses, tail-head linkage, and some nominalised clauses all function as a unified system of reference tracking in discourse. What these formally disparate constructions have in common is the marking of reference tracking information on verbs rather than on the referring NPs themselves. The analysis raises the question of what factors motivate the selection of a given clause-chaining construction in a given context, and I suggest some answers on the basis of discourse structuring principles. Keywords: Amazonian; nominalisation; clause-chaining; subordination
Argument marking and reference tracking in Mekens
Authors: Vilacy Galucio Ana
Published: February 2014

This paper discusses argument marking and reference tracking in Mekens complex clauses and their correlation to information structure. The distribution of pronominal arguments in Mekens simple clauses follows an absolutive pattern with main verbs. Complex clauses maintain the morphological absolutive argument marking, but show a nominative pattern with respect to argument reference tracking, since transitive and intransitive subjects function as syntactic pivots. The language extends the use of argument-marking verb morphology to control the reference of discourse participants across clauses. This system of reference tracking also interacts with the encoding of sentence topics, expressed in the periphery of the clause in Mekens. However it will be demonstrated that subject is the important notion for the Mekens system of reference tracking. Keywords: Mekens; Tupian languages; argument marking; reference tracking
Socio-psychological barriers for peace making and ideas to overcome them / Barreras sociopsicológicas para la paz e ideas para superarlas
Authors: Bar-Tal Daniel , Halperin Eran
Published: February 2014

Intensive and violent intergroup conflicts that rage in different parts of the world are real. These conflicts center over disagreements focusing on contradictory goals and interests in different domains and must be addressed in conflict resolution. It is well known that the disagreements could potentially be resolved if not the powerful socio-psychological barriers which fuel and maintain the conflicts. These barriers inhibit and impede progress towards peaceful settlement of the conflict. They stand as major obstacles to begin the negotiation, to continue the negotiation, to achieve an agreement and later to engage in a process of reconciliation. These barriers are found among both leaders and society members that are involved in vicious, violent and protracted intergroup conflicts. They pertain to the integrated operation of cognitive, emotional and motivational processes, combined with a pre-existing repertoire of rigid supporting beliefs, world views and emotions that result in selective, biased and distorted information processing. This processing obstructs and inhibits the penetration of new information that can potentially contribute to facilitating progress in the peace-making process. The paper elaborates on the nature of the socio-psychological barriers and proposes preliminary ideas of how to overcome them. These ideas focus on the unfreezing process which eventually may lead to cessation of adherence to the repertoire that supports the continuation of the conflict, its evaluation and arousal of the readiness to entertain of alternative beliefs that support peace making.
The measure of the masculinity–femininity construct today: Some reflections on the case of the Bem Sex Role Inventory / La medida del constructo masculinidad–feminidad en la actualidad: algunas reflexiones sobre el caso del Bem Sex Role Inventory
Authors: Ferrer-Pérez Victoria A. , Bosch-Fiol Esperanza
Published: February 2014

The Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) is a questionnaire widely used for the measurement of the masculinity–femininity construct as well as for other uses. The objective of this study is to analyze its suitability as a scale of measurement of the gender variable.The full, 60-item version of this instrument was administered twice to a sample of 99 college students, the first to determine the sex typing of the male and female participants and the second to determine the extent to which they consider the BSRI items as characteristic of men and women.The results obtained show that, regardless of gender and sex typing, most people considered that only some of the items of the BSRI describe men or women characteristically, while the rest could apply equally to both. These results suggest the need to seek alternative instruments to measure the gender variable more adequately and precisely.
Protective factors and risk factors of being a victim of couple violence in women and men / Factores de riesgo y protección de ser víctima de violencia en la pareja en mujeres y hombres
Authors: Moral-de la Rubia José , López-Rosales Fuensanta , Díaz-Loving Rolando , Cienfuegos-Martínez Yessica-Ivet
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study is to determine the risk factors and protective factors of being a victim of couple violence, considering cultural conventions, coping, social support, external attribution and violence in childhood. A non-probabilistic sample of 223 women and 177 men was used. The risk factors in the sample as a whole were being male, the coping strategy of accommodation, violence in childhood and external attribution, while the protective factors were partner support and an active coping style. The study concludes with suggestions for interventions and research.
A psychosocial study on crime and gender: Position, role and status of women in a sample of Spanish criminal organizations / Un estudio psicosocial sobre la delincuencia y género. Posición, rol y estatus de la mujer en una muestra española de organizaciones criminales
Authors: Requena Laura , de Juan Manuel , Giménez-Salinas Andrea , de la Corte Luis
Published: February 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of a sample of females ( N = 200) who have belonged to organized crime groups (N = 67) that have operated in Spain between 1999 and 2010, along with what their roles and status have been. The information has been mined from police records provided by the Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil. The results enable us to conclude that most of the females are adults, and that many of them have family or partner ties to the organizations. Furthermore, they are actively involved in these criminal groups, mainly performing jobs that do not require the use of violence, and they are especially needed for internal security. In terms of status, the majority seem to be at the lowest level of the organizational structure, although we have managed to identify some women who have played leadership roles in criminal organizations.
Violence against women in Spain and Cuba: The same reality, two different visions / Violencia hacia la mujer en España y Cuba: una misma realidad, dos visiones diferentes
Authors: Valor-Segura Inmaculada , Expósito Francisca , Moya Miguel , López Karelín
Published: February 2014

This study aims to analyse the acceptance of gender violence in Spanish and Cuban populations. We analysed the influence of sexist beliefs and other ideologies that justify unequal gender relationships. A total of 230 men and women from Spain and 200 from Cuba participated by answering a questionnaire. The results showed the effect of participants’ gender and nationality as well as ideological variables (sexism, beliefs in a just world and codes of honour) that legitimise the status quo of gender violence. The male participants and the Cuban participants accepted violence against women more than the female participants and the Spanish participants. What is more, the results showed a pattern in the influence of the ideological variables that differed depending on the participants’ nationality. In Spain, the relationship between participants’ benevolent sexism and the justification of violence was mediated by codes of honour. In Cuba, the relationship between hostile sexism and acceptance of violence against women was mediated by beliefs in a just world.
A note on joint reductions and mixed multiplicities
Authors: Viet Duong , Dinh Le , Thanh Truong
Published: February 2014

Let

(
A
,
m
)

(A, \frak m)

be a noetherian local ring with maximal ideal

m

\frak {m}

and infinite residue field

k
=
A

/

m

.

k = A/\frak {m}.

Let

J
J

be an

m
\frak m

-primary ideal,

I
1

,
…
,

I
s

I_1,\ldots ,I_s

ideals of

A
A

, and

M
M

a finitely generated

A
A

-module. In this paper, we interpret mixed multiplicities of

(

I
1

,
…
,

I
s

,
J
)

(I_1,\ldots , I_s,J)

with respect to

M
M

as multiplicities of joint reductions of them. This generalizes Rees’s theorem on mixed multiplicity. As an application we show that mixed multiplicities are also multiplicities of Rees superficial sequences.
Convolution roots and differentiability of isotropic positive definite functions on spheres
Authors: Ziegel Johanna
Published: February 2014

We prove that any isotropic positive definite function on the sphere can be written as the spherical self-convolution of an isotropic real-valued function. It is known that isotropic positive definite functions on

d
d

-dimensional Euclidean space admit a continuous derivative of order

[
(
d
−
1
)

/

2
]

[(d-1)/2]

. We show that the same holds true for isotropic positive definite functions on spheres and prove that this result is optimal for all odd dimensions.
ngsCAT: a tool to assess the efficiency of targeted enrichment sequencing
Authors: López-Domingo Francisco J. , Florido Javier P. , Rueda Antonio , Dopazo Joaquín , Santoyo-Lopez Javier
Published: February 2014

Motivation: Targeted enrichment sequencing by next-generation sequencing is a common approach to interrogate specific loci or the whole exome in the human genome. The efficiency and the lack of bias in the enrichment process need to be assessed as a quality control step before performing downstream analysis of the sequence data. Tools that can report on the sensitivity, specificity, uniformity and other enrichment-specific features are needed.

Results: We have implemented the next-generation sequencing data Capture Assessment Tool (ngsCAT), a tool that takes the information of the mapped reads and the coordinates of the targeted regions as input files, and generates a report with metrics and figures that allows the evaluation of the efficiency of the enrichment process. The tool can also take as input the information of two samples allowing the comparison of two different experiments.

Availability and implementation: Documentation and downloads for ngsCAT can be found at http://www.bioinfomgp.org/ngscat.

Contact:  support@bioinfomgp.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data is available at Bioinformatics online.
LASAGNA-Search 2.0: integrated transcription factor binding site search and visualization in a browser
Authors: Lee Chih , Huang Chun-Hsi
Published: February 2014

Summary: LASAGNA-Search 2.0 is an integrated webtool for transcription factor (TF) binding site search and visualization. The tool is based on the LASAGNA (Length-Aware Site Alignment Guided by Nucleotide Association) algorithm. It eliminates manual TF model collection and promoter sequence retrieval. Search results can be visualized locally or in the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser. Gene regulatory network inference based on the search results offers another way of visualization. A list of TFs and target genes is all a user needs to start using the tool. LASAGNA-Search 2.0 currently offers 1792 TF models and supports 15 species for automatic promoter retrieval and visualization in the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser. It is a user-friendly tool designed for non-bioinformaticians and is suitable for research and teaching. We describe important changes made since the initial release.

Availability and implementation: LASAGNA-Search 2.0 is freely available without registration at http://biogrid.engr.uconn.edu/lasagna_search/ .

Contact:  chihlee@engr.uconn.edu or huang@engr.uconn.edu
Measuring the transition to homogeneity with photometric redshift surveys
Authors: Alonso D. , Bueno Belloso A. , Sánchez F. J. , García-Bellido J. , Sánchez E.
Published: February 2014

We study the possibility of detecting the transition to homogeneity using photometric redshift catalogues. Our method is based on measuring the fractality of the projected galaxy distribution, using angular distances, and relies only on observable quantities. It thus provides a way to test the cosmological principle in a model-independent unbiased way. We have tested our method on different synthetic inhomogeneous catalogues and shown that it is capable of discriminating some fractal models with relatively large fractal dimensions, in spite of the loss of information due to the radial projection. We have also studied the influence of the redshift bin width, photometric redshift errors, bias, non-linear clustering, and surveyed area on the angular homogeneity index H2(θ) in a Λ cold dark matter cosmology. The level to which an upcoming galaxy survey will be able to constrain the transition to homogeneity will depend mainly on the total surveyed area and the compactness of the surveyed region. In particular, a Dark Energy Survey (DES)-like survey should be able to easily discriminate certain fractal models with fractal dimensions as large as D2 = 2.95. We believe that this method will have relevant applications for upcoming large photometric redshift surveys, such as DES or the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
The Pricing of IPO Services and Issues: Theory and Estimation
Authors: Kang Ari , Lowery Richard
Published: February 2014

We estimate a model for the process for setting IPO spreads and offer prices. We establish that the partially rigid spread schedule observed for IPOs, where over 90% of IPOs with proceeds between $20 and $80 million have a spread of 7%, can be rationalized as optimal collusion. Optimal collusion creates a rationale for high underpricing, and we use data on both spreads and underpricing to estimate structural parameters. Our estimates suggest that firms benefit from holding IPOs but that idiosyncratic manager preferences may drive much of the IPO market. Much of the money left on the table is estimated to accrue to underwriters.