bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in reflectance anisotropy of wheat crop during different phenophases
Authors: Lunagaria Manoj M. , Patel Haridas R.
Published: June 2017

The canopy structure of wheat changes significantly with growth stages and leads to changes in reflectance anisotropy. Bidirectional reflectance distribution function characterises the reflectance anisotropy of the targets, which can be approximated. Spectrodirectional reflectance measurements on wheat crop were acquired using a field goniometer system. The bidirectional reflectance spectra were acquired at 54 view angles to cover the hemispheric span up to 60° view zenith. The observations were made during early growth stages till maturity of the crop. The anisotropy was not constant for all wavelengths and anisotropic factors clearly revealed spectral dependence, which was more pronounced in near principal plane. In near infrared, wheat canopy expressed less reflectance anisotropy because of higher multiple scattering. The broad hotspot signature was noticeable in reflectance of canopy whenever view and solar angles were close. Distinct changes in bidirectional reflectance distribution function were observed during booting to flowering stages as the canopy achieves more uniformity, height and head emergence. The function clearly reveals bowl shape during heading to early milking growth stages of the crop. Late growth stages show less prominent gap and shadow effects. Anisotropy index revealed that wheat exhibits changes in reflectance anisotropy with phenological development and with spectral bands.
Laboratory device to analyse the impact of soil properties on electrical and thermal conductivity
Authors: Bertermann David , Schwarz Hans
Published: June 2017

Gathering information about soil properties in an efficient way is essential for many soil applications also for very shallow geothermal systems (e.g. collector systems or heat baskets). In the field, electrical resistivity tomogramphy measurements enable non-invasive and extensive analyses regarding the determination of soil properties. For a better understanding of measured electrical resistivity values in relation to soil properties within this study, a laboratory setup was developed. The structure of this laboratory setup is geared to gather electrical resistivity or rather electrical conductivity values which are directly comparable to data measured in the field. Within this setup grain size distribution, moisture content, and bulk density, which are the most important soil parameters affecting the electrical resistivity, can be adjusted. In terms of a better estimation of the geothermal capability of soil, thermal conductivity measurements were also implemented within the laboratory test sequence. The generated data reveals the serious influence of the water content and also provides a huge impact of the bulk density on the electrical as well as on the thermal conductivity. Furthermore, different behaviour patterns of electrical and thermal conductivity in their particular relation to the different soil parameters could be identified.
How enzymes are adsorbed on soil solid phase and factors limiting its activity: A Review
Authors: Datta Rahul , Anand Swati , Moulick Amitava , Baraniya Divyashri , Pathan Shamina Imran , Rejsek Klement , Vranova Valerie , Sharma Meenakshi , Sharma Daisy , Kelkar Aditi , Formanek Pavel
Published: June 2017

A majority of biochemical reactions are often catalysed by different types of enzymes. Adsorption of the enzyme is an imperative phenomenon, which protects it from physical or chemical degradation resulting in enzyme reserve in soil. This article summarizes some of the key results from previous studies and provides information about how enzymes are adsorbed on the surface of the soil solid phase and how different factors affect enzymatic activity in soil. Many studies have been done separately on the soil enzymatic activity and adsorption of enzymes on solid surfaces. However, only a few studies discuss enzyme adsorption on soil perspective; hence, we attempted to facilitate the process of enzyme adsorption specifically on soil surfaces. This review is remarkably unmatched, as we have thoroughly reviewed the relevant publications related to protein adsorption and enzymatic activity. Also, the article focuses on two important aspects, adsorption of enzymes and factors limiting the activity of adsorbed enzyme, together in one paper. The first part of this review comprehensively lays emphasis on different interactions between enzymes and the soil solid phase and the kinetics of enzyme adsorption. In the second part, we encircle various factors affecting the enzymatic activity of the adsorbed enzyme in soil.
Review article. Predicting disease onset in clinically healthy people
Authors: Zeliger . Harold I.
Published: June 2017

Virtually all human disease is induced by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, which is caused by toxic environmental exposure, the presence of disease, lifestyle choices, stress, chronic inflammation or combinations of these, is responsible for most disease. Oxidative stress from all sources is additive and it is the total oxidative stress from all sources that induces the onset of most disease. Oxidative stress leads to lipid peroxidation, which in turn produces Malondialdehyde. Serum malondialdehyde level is an additive parameter resulting from all sources of oxidative stress and, therefore, is a reliable indicator of total oxidative stress which can be used to predict the onset of disease in clinically asymptomatic individuals and to suggest the need for treatment that can prevent much human disease.
Original Article. Protection studies of new bis quaternary 2-(hydroxyimino)-N-(pyridin-3yl) acetamide derivatives (HNK-series) oximes against acute poisoning by dichlorvos (DDVP) in Swiss albino mice
Authors: Kumar Pravin , Swami Devyani , Karade Hitendra N. , Singh Manindar , Tiwari Anupma , Singh Kshetra Pal
Published: June 2017

The available antidotal therapy against acute poisoning by organophosphates involves the use of atropine alone or in combination with one of the oximes, e.g. 2-PAM, Obidoxime, TMB-4 or HI-6. Each of these oximes has some limitation, raising the question of the universal antidotal efficacy against poisoning by all OPs/nerve agents. In the present study, newly synthesized bis quaternary 2-(hydroxyimino)-N-(pyridin-3yl) acetamide derivatives (HNK-series) oximes were evaluated for their antidotal efficacy against DDVP intoxicated Swiss mice, in terms of the Protection Index (PI) and AChE reactivation in brain and serum. The inhibition concentration (IC50) was determined in brain and serum after optimizing the time point for maximum inhibition (60 min post DDVP exposure). AChE reactivation efficacy of the HNK series was evaluated at IC50 and compared with 2-PAM. HNK-102 showed a ~2 times better Protection Index (PI) as compared to 2-PAM against DDVP toxicity. IC50 at 60 min DDVP post exposure was found to be approximately one fifth and one half of the LD50 dose for brain and serum AChE, respectively. Out of three HNK oximes, HNK-102 & 106 at 0.20 LD50 dose significantly reactivated DDVP intoxicated brain AChE (p<0.05) as compared to 2-PAM at double IC50 dose of DDVP. In light of double PI and higher AChE reactivation, HNK 102 was found to be a better oxime than 2-PAM in the treatment of acute poisoning by DDVP.
Development of disyllabic tones in different learning contexts
Authors: Yang Bei , Yang Nuoyi
Published: June 2017

Tones are the most challenging aspect of learning Chinese. We study tonal acquisition for American learners of Chinese in three learning contexts: study-abroad, at-home and immersion programs. This paper explores whether and how tone production is improved in these contexts. Fifteen learners of Chinese participated in this study. They took a pre-test and a post-test. The control group contained ten native speakers. The task was a read-aloud test in Chinese. Additionally, learners filled out a language contact form. To assess students’ tonal accuracy, we conducted two kinds of analysis: a perception assessment by native Mandarin speakers and an acoustic analysis of pitch track comparison. Contextual data were coded based on the length of language contact with native speakers of Chinese. The results indicate that difficult tone combinations are context sensitive. It also reveals what strategies learners of Chinese use to produce tones similar to native speakers’ production.
Language as a Symbol of Identity and a Tool of Politics and Power in Pakistan and Bangladesh
Authors: Rácová Anna
Published: June 2017

This study aims to demonstrate the roles that domestic and foreign languages have played and play as signs of national or religious identity and social prestige and as tools of political and economic power in multilingual Pakistan and Bangladesh. Before the countries gained independence from the British Empire in 1947 and before the formation of the Indian Union and Pakistan (which was divided into Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1971), the role of an official language, remote to the majority of population in Indian subcontinent, had been gradually played by Sanskrit, Persian, and English. After gaining independence, the new countries decided to replace English as the official language with domestic languages. Their efforts encountered many problems and resulted in various solutions. Urdu became the state language in Pakistan, which caused resistance in local ethnolinguistic groups because the language had been imported by refugees from India. This resistance was the strongest in East Pakistan, where a strong national and language awareness eventually contributed to the formation of an independent Bangladesh with Bengali as the state language. Despite struggle for the dominance of domestic languages, English has preserved its prestigious position both in Pakistan and Bangladesh, as a symbol of higher social position, a language of education and science, and a tool of economic and political power.
Loss of Congruence in Slovak Possessive Resultative Constructions (Evidence from the Slovak National Corpus)
Authors: Giger Markus
Published: June 2017

Possessive resultative constructions containing a HAVE-verb and a past passive participle have been used in West Slavic languages for centuries without showing a rapid grammaticalisation into a perfect (cf. evidence from Polish and Czech). The same holds for Slovak, where examples can be found at least from the 17th century on without rapidly changing on the grammaticalisation chain. At the same time, Krupa demonstrated in 1960 a loss of congruence between object and past passive participle in possessive resultatives in colloquial Slovak distinguishing different types. Loss of congruence is often considered to be an important grammaticalisation step for emerging participial perfects. A sought in the Slovak National Corpus brought some evidence for such constructions in journalistic texts and from the Internet (the same types as used by Krupa), but their frequency is very low so far.
Amelioration of hyperglycemia and associated metabolic abnormalities by a combination of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds and onion (Allium cepa) in experimental diabetes
Authors: Pradeep Seetur R. , Srinivasan Krishnapura
Published: June 2017

Background:

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds and onion (Allium cepa) are independently known to have antidiabetic effects through different mechanisms. The beeneficial influence of a combination of dietary fenugreek seeds and onion on hyperglycemia and its associated metabolic abnormalities were evaluated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Methods:

Diabetes was experimentally induced with streptozotocin and diabetic rats were fed with 10% fenugreek or 3% onion or their combination for 6 weeks.

Results:

These dietary interventions significantly countered hyperglycemia, partially improved peripheral insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, reduced β-cell mass and markedly reversed the abnormalities in plasma albumin, urea, creatinine, glycated hemoglobin and advanced glycation end products in diabetic rats. These beneficial effects were highest in the fenugreek+onion group. Diabetic rats with these dietary interventions excreted lesser glucose, albumin, urea and creatinine, which were accompanied by improved body weights compared with the diabetic controls. These dietary interventions produced ameliorative effects on pancreatic pathology as reflected by near-normal islet cells, restored glycogen and collagen fiber deposition in diabetic rats.

Conclusions:

This study documented the hypoglycemic and insulinotropic effects of dietary fenugreek and onion, which were associated with countering of metabolic abnormalities and pancreatic pathology. It may be strategic to derive maximum nutraceutical antidiabetic benefits from these functional food ingredients by consuming them together.
The Impact of Financial Dollarization on Inflation Targeting: Empirical Evidence from Serbia
Authors: Fabris Nikola , Vujanović Nina
Published: June 2017

Serbia has applied inflation targeting against the backdrop of financial dollarization for almost a decade. In such circumstances, efficiency of monetary policy instruments decreases and begs the question of efficiency of the monetary regime efficiency issue. Although there is some empirical testing of financial dollarization effects on monetary policy performance in the inflation targeting regime for some countries, such studies for Serbia mostly cover periods of early application of the regime.

Therefore, the authors analysed financial dollarization effects on prices, i.e. exchange rate pass-through effect using Serbia as an example. The study concludes that although unpredictable changes in financial dollarization strongly affect nominal exchange rate, prices level is subject to moderate but persistent increase upon this shock.
Financing Structure and Liquidity Risk: Lesson from Malaysian Experience
Authors: Abdul-Rahman Aisyah , Said Noor Latifah Hanim Mohd , Sulaiman Ahmad Azam
Published: June 2017

This study examines the relationship between financing structure and bank liquidity risk. We compare the findings between Islamic and conventional banks for the case of Malaysia. We adopt four measures to represent financing structure; namely 1) real estate financing, 2) financing concentration, 3) stability of short-term financing structure and 4) stability of medium-term financing structure. Two BASEL III liquidity risk measures are tested; namely, liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) and the net stable funding ratio (NSFR) to measure short- and long-term liquidity risk, respectively. Based on panel data regression comprising 27 conventional and 17 Islamic banks from 1994 to 2014, our findings show that real estate financing and stability of short-term financing structure for Islamic banks are positively related to both liquidity risk measures. This implies that an increasing number of real estate financing and a stable short-term financing structure may increase Islamic banks’ short- and long-term liquidity risks. However, although real estate financing does not affect conventional banks’ liquidity risks, a stable short-term financing structure and increasing financing concentration can positively influence bank long-term liquidity risk. Our findings shed light crucial policy implications for regulatory bodies and market players in the context of liquidity risk management framework as well as the need to develop a separate framework between conventional and Islamic banking institutions.
Original research. The Assessment of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients. A Systematic Review
Authors: Benedek Theodora , Rat Nora , Hodas Roxana , Opincariu Diana , Mester András , Benedek Imre
Published: June 2017

Background: This systematic review seeks to evaluate the role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), quantified either by thickness, assessed by transthoracic echocardiography, or by volume, assessed by cardiac computed tomography (CT), in the follow-up of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Method: One-hundred forty-four articles were screened, from which 56 were reviewed in full-text. From those, 47 studies were excluded for the following reasons: they did not meet the inclusion criteria; they were either reviews or meta-analyses; the study cohorts included only stable coronary artery disease patients; they did not state a clear and concise study design, endpoints, or follow-up. The final draft included nine studies for systematic evaluation. Results: Of the 2,306 patients included in the review, 170 underwent cardiac CT while the remaining 2,136 underwent transthoracic echocardiography for the measurement of EAT. The analysis found that the EAT thickness was significantly associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rates during hospitalization (OR: -1.3, 95% CI: 1.05-1.62, p = 0.020) and at three years (HR: 1.524, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2, p = 0.038). The included studies found that EAT was correlated with the following clinical and angiographic risk scores for ACS: GRACE (r = 0.438, p <0.001), TIMI risk score (r = 0.363, p = 0.001), SYNTAX score (r = 0.690, p <0.0001; r = 0.610, p <0.01), and Gensini score (r = 0.438, p = 0.001). There was an inverse correlation between ST-segment resolution of <70% after revascularization and EAT (r = −0.414, p = 0.01), and the myocardial blush grade (r = −0.549, p <0.001). The EF aggregation ranged between 2.65 mm and 4.7 mm within the included studies. Conclusions: EAT, evaluated either by echocardiography or cardiac CT, correlates with the severity of coronary lesions, with the clinical and angiographic risk scores for acute coronary syndromes, with indicators for coronary reperfusion, and with short- and long-term MACE rates. Further studies are required to fully elucidate the role of this extensively studied but still novel cardiovascular biomarker as part of a risk prediction tool.
Original research. Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities and Ventricular Function in Acute Peri-Myocarditis
Authors: Matei Claudia , Mester András , Cernica Daniel , Hodas Roxana , Bordi Lehel
Published: June 2017

Introduction: Myocardial involvement in pericardial diseases and the effect of pericardial inflammation and effusion on the function of the left ventricle (LV) is still a controversial issue. The present study aimed to evaluate LV regional wall abnormalities in patients with acute peri-myocarditis, using 3D echocardiographic assessment of LV contractility. Material and methods: The study included 56 subjects divided into two groups: Group 1 - 28 subjects with acute peri-myocarditis and Group 2 - 28 healthy controls. All subjects underwent a complete clinical examination, including laboratory tests. 3D echocardiography was performed to assess the left ventricular end-diastolic (EDV) and end-systolic volumes (ESV), and to calculate specific indexes for global and regional ventricular contractility, such as the index of contraction amplitude (ICA) and the regional index of contraction amplitude (RICA) for each segment corresponding to the region affected by peri- myocarditis. Results: 3D echocardiography showed no differences between the groups regarding the EDV (p = 0.2), the LV ejection fraction (Group 1: 55.82% ± 3.36% vs. Group 2: 57.21% ± 4.69%, p = 0.2). The ESV however, was significantly higher in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (55.78 ± 5.45 ml vs. 52.20 ± 6.43 ml, p = 0.04). ICA was similar between the groups (p = 0.2). However, the RICA was significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (2.27 ± 0.63 vs. 5.16 ± 0.54, p <0.0001). Conclusions: The extension of the inflammatory process from the pericardium to the adjacent myocardial layer may affect the contractility of the LV. A good association exists between peri-myocarditis and the regional contractility abnormalities of the LV.
Lack of Implicit Prosody Effects in Deaf Readers of Japanese
Authors: Sato Kaori , Kobayashi Mari , Miyamoto Edson T.
Published: June 2017

Prosodic contours have been claimed to be implicitly imposed on sentences read in silence, thereby affecting the interpretation of ambiguous constructions (the implicit prosody hypothesis, Fodor 2002). Some of the strongest evidence supporting this hypothesis manipulated the prosodic length of segments (Hirose 2003). However, such manipulations also increase the number of characters in the critical words, thus the results may not reflect the influence of prosodic factors but rather how perceptual mechanisms and working memory handle written words with larger numbers of characters. If so, such results should be replicable with readers who have low ability in handling prosodic information. We report experimental results suggesting that deaf readers are not sensitive to Hirose’s length manipulations. Therefore, the manipulations are likely to be related to prosodic contours rather than some other type of length measurement.
Remarks on focus feature organization in narrow syntax with special reference to the additive mo ‘also’
Authors: Hoshi Koji
Published: June 2017

Following the spirit, but not the same mechanism, of Kayne’s (1998, 2000) overt syntactic derivational analysis of focus-related elements such as only, also/too, and even in English, this paper explores the nature of focus feature organization in narrow syntax (NS) with special reference to the additive use of the focus particle mo ‘also’ in Japanese. First, it is argued that, in spite of their attractiveness, at least the versions of LF focus particle movement analysis of association with focus entertained in Aoyagi (1998, 1999, 2006) are faced with theoretical/empirical problems. Then, it is claimed that association with focus in Japanese should be best captured in overt syntax without recourse to any LF movement operations, while keeping to Aoyagi’s (1998, 1999, 2006) original insight of taking association with focus as “focus feature agreement or sharing.” In so doing, a new hypothesis for focus feature organization in NS (Focus Feature-Splitting Hypothesis) is proposed, which dictates that in principle an interpretable focus feature [focus] and an uninterpretable focus feature [uFoc] in the domain of the Foc head occupied by mo can be separated under some “locality condition” based on phases. To the extent that the proposed overt syntactic derivational approach is on the right track, it provides another empirical support for the single-cycle computational system for NS in the faculty of language (FL), entertained in Kayne (1998, 2000), Epstein et al. (1998), Chomsky (2001b, 2004), and Epstein and Seely (2006) inter alia.
An analysis of narrative communication strategies used by Japanese-as-a-foreign-language learners
Authors: Minami Masahiko
Published: June 2017

This study examines discourse strategies in personal narratives told by Japanese-as-a-foreign-language (JFL) learners. Both JFL learners and native Japanese speakers were asked to talk about any injury-related experience that they wished. Compared to intermediate JFL learners, advanced learners (1) told longer narratives using more words, a greater variety of words, and more onomatopoetic expressions, (2) switched to their first language less frequently and used fewer message replacements, repetitions, and confirmations, and committed fewer errors, and (3) used reported speech and onomatopoeias more frequently. A comparison of narratives told by JFL learners with those produced by native Japanese speakers revealed that while intermediate learners used rising intonation more frequently than did native Japanese speakers, advanced learners tended to use more words when using reported speech even when judged by native Japanese speakers’ norm. Overall, in the examination of JFL learners’ narrative discourse patterns with particular attention to the length of their stories and the discourse strategies they employed, the study suggests that JFL learners do not necessarily follow native-style narrative patterns, even after their language skills are relatively highly developed. The study instead implies the possibility of either U-shaped patterns of behavioral growth or the strong influence of L1 discourse strategies on L2 narratives (or a combination of both).
Revisiting the two double-nominative constructions in Japanese
Authors: Kuno Susumu
Published: June 2017

In Kuno and Johnson (2004), it was proposed that the double subject construction in Japanese (e.g., John-ga otoosan-ga sinde simatta ‘John - his father has died’) has a complex sentence structure of the type of [S1 NP1-ga [S2 NP2-ga Verbal]]. This structure was intended to account for the unacceptability of Yamada-sensei-ga inu-ga o-nakunari-ni natte simatta ‘Professor Yamada - his dog has died’ (Shibatani 1976): Subject Honorific Marking is clause-bound, and therefore, it cannot apply to the embedded clause verbal with the main-clause subject NP1-ga as target of deference. It turns out that this analysis produces an apparent paradox with respect to the licensing of negative polarity items (NPIs), which is also a clause-bound rule: an NPI can show up in the main-clause subject position with a negative verbal in the embedded clause, as in Taroo-sika otoosan-ga hukeikai-ni syussekisi-nakatta ‘Taro was the only one whose father attended the teacher-parent meeting.’ That is, it appears that while Subject Honorific Marking calls for a complex-sentence structure for the double-subject construction, NPI Licensing calls for a simplex-sentence structure. This paper is intended to resolve this paradox on the basis of (i) the dual role the verbal in the [S1 ... [S2... Verbal]] construction plays, and (ii) the properties of NPI Licensing, including the notion of “clause-boundedness” as it applies to the rule, that are very different from those of Subject Honorific Marking.
Testing the validity of linguistic description against the intuition of native speakers: The case of Japanese conditionals
Authors: Solvang Harry , Maeda Naoko
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a study of native speaker intuitions regarding the choice of conditional markers in Japanese in regard to Modal Constraint Approach, whose central claim is that the choice of the four conditional markers to, tara, ba and nara is governed by the modal contents of the consequent clause. This study reports the outcome of a computer-based experimental study on conditionals, where the validity of the current view of modal constraints is being tested against the judgment of native Japanese speakers from the Kanto district. Our analysis indicates the current view is in accord with native speakers’ intuition in the case of tara and to, but it definitely needs to be revised in the case of ba. Specifically, against the predictions of the Modal Constraint Approach we found that even expressions of command, request and prohibition were regarded as fairly acceptable in a number of cases, suggesting that native intuition is influenced by a series of factors that come into play with different level of influence on each speaker.
The position of nominative NPs in Japanese: Evidence for nominative NPs in-situ
Authors: Fujimaki Kazuma
Published: June 2017

This paper presents some new data of the Japanese language, which shows that the nominative NP, particularly the nominative subject, can stay in-situ and that in a certain case, it cannot move to the Spec of TP. These examples come from a certain type of idioms with ditransitive verbs given by Miyagawa and Tsujioka (2004). Based on their observation that some idioms cannot allow displacement of their parts, we will see that in such idioms, passivization is possible only if the nominative NP (the subject) remains in-situ. This supports the analysis that the nominative subject does not have to move to the Spec of TP to satisfy a feature of T, for example, the EPP (Fukui 1986, Kuroda 1988, among others). This paper makes a stronger claim: At least in overt syntax, the nominative subject in our examples may not move to the Spec of TP. We will further observe that the same is true of the genitive NP of so-called ga-no (nominative-genitive) conversion. The examples with the idiom support the analysis which claims that the genitive NP in ga-no conversion stays in VP in overt syntax (Watanabe 1994, 1996; Miyagawa 1997, 2011).
Zibun and locality in L2 Japanese
Authors: Yoshimura Noriko , Nakayama Mineharu , Shirahata Tomohiko , Sawasaki Koichi , Terao Yasushi
Published: June 2017

Second language learners encounter difficulty in interpreting the anaphoric relationship between a reflexive pronoun and its antecedent because they often fail to reset their parameter appropriately. However, the recent interface theory has called this parameter conversion approach into question, in particular, whether L2 learners do indeed reset their language parameter during the course of L2 acquisition. This paper explores this issue by conducting an experiment with a truth-value judgment task on the interpretations of zibun among English and Chinese speaking adult learners of Japanese. The results support our hypothesis that the short-distance interpretation of zibun can be acquired early if “locality” is the core notion of human cognition, as assumed in Universal Grammar, whereas long distance interpretation takes time to acquire because of the syntax-pragmatics interface. We emphasize that the parameter resetting approach cannot provide a plausible account for this “short vs. long” asymmetry in the acquisition of zibun binding.
The polarity-sensitive intensifier mouth gestures in Japanese Sign Language
Authors: Matsuoka Kazumi , Gajewski Jon
Published: June 2017

As we consider the unique linguistic properties of Japanese Sign Language (Nihon Shuwa, JSL), it is important to note that cultural gestures of hearing Japanese were adopted into JSL and “grammaticized” to become a part of the language. Polarity-sensitive mouth gestures are discussed as an interesting example of grammaticized gestures in JSL. Matsuoka et al. (2012) reported that “polarity-sensitive” mouth gestures appear in antonym pairs in emphatic contexts. The choice of mouth gestures is determined by the positive/negative polarity of the signed adjectives. We investigated those polarity-sensitive mouth gestures with absolute and relative adjectives (specifically Kennedy and McNally’s 2005 “totally closed/totally open adjectives”) and argue that those mouth gestures themselves are intensifiers and the choice of the mouth gesture reflects the semantic properties of the adjective it accompanies. In addition, the data of eyebrow raise/furrow are provided to demonstrate that lexical and attitudinal polarity is expressed by different non-manuals.
A role for “air writing” in second-language learners’ acquisition of Japanese in the age of the word processor
Authors: Thomas Margaret
Published: June 2017

This article addresses the pedagogical implications of kūsho ( ; literally “air writing”), that is, the spontaneous manual tracing of Sino-Japanese characters (kanji) in the air with a bare fingertip, by learners of Japanese. I describe the phenomenon of kūsho, then review research indicating that it is common (if under-recognized) during kanji learning and recall and, moreover, is associated with a small but statistically significant advantage over conventional paper-andpencil copying as a technique for memorizing the shapes of kanji. I propose that teachers of Japanese explicitly sanction kūsho and encourage students to selfconsciously incorporate it into their repertoire of techniques for memorizing or recalling kanji. The issue is particularly salient in the context of the ongoing cultural shift away from writing by hand to computerized word processing, which in this generation is reshaping the psycholinguistics of literacy in Japanese. Practice of kūsho may secure a kinesthetic basis for facility with kanji among learners for whom keyboard-based typing is rapidly displacing manual writing.
L1–L2 asymmetry in animacy effects in the processing of Japanese relative clause
Authors: Mitsugi Sanako , Shirai Yasuhiro
Published: June 2017

Using self-paced reading, this study investigated the role of head animacy in the processing of Japanese relative clauses (RCs). Second language (L2) learners whose first languages (L1) are English and Korean, and Japanese native speakers participated. The results showed that for native speakers, inanimate heads diminished the processing difficulty associated with object RCs. However, head animacy did not have an effect on L2 processing. The Korean group showed the subject-object asymmetry but no effect of head animacy. The English group did not demonstrate the effect of RC type or head animacy. The overall pattern of these results suggests that L2 learners of Japanese are not guided by syntactic and lexical-semantic information in the same way as Japanese native speakers. These findings are interpreted within the constraint-satisfaction models (MacDonald et al., 1994) and are further discussed in the light of the research concerning the transfer of L1 processing routines.
A priori error estimates of Adams-Bashforth discontinuous Galerkin Methods for scalar nonlinear conservation laws
Authors: Puelz Charles , Rivière Béatrice
Published: June 2017

In this paper we show theoretical convergence of a second-order Adams-Bashforth discontinuous Galerkin method for approximating smooth solutions to scalar nonlinear conservation laws with E-fluxes. A priori error estimates are also derived for a first-order forward Euler discontinuous Galerkin method. Rates are optimal in time and suboptimal in space; they are valid under a CFL condition.
Multiple effects of probiotics on different types of diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Authors: Wang Xia , Juan Qi-Fang , He Yu-Wei , Zhuang Li , Fang Yuan-Yuan , Wang Yong-Hong
Published: June 2017

Background:

A systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the effect of probiotics on diabetes and its associated risk factors.

Methods:

We systematically searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science to June 2016. We also hand-searched the citation lists of included studies and previously identified systematic reviews to identify further relevant trials. Our primary outcome variables included glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin. The pooled standardized mean difference was used to compare the effect between the probiotics and controlled groups, and the pooled standardized mean difference effect size with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated using a random-effect model. Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran’s Q and HigginsI2tests. Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. The analysis and bias for each included study was performed and assessed using Review Manager 5.2.

Results:

Eighteen randomized, placebo-controlled studies (n=1056 participants, 527 consuming probiotics, 529 not consuming probiotics) were included for analysis. Comparing the probiotics groups with the control groups, there were statistically significant pooled standardized mean differences on the reduction of glucose (−0.61, 95% CI −0.98, −0.24; p=0.001), insulin (−0.49, 95% CI −0.93, −0.04; p=0.03) and HbA1c(−0.39, 95% CI −0.60, −0.19%; p=0.0001). Subgroup analysis also indicated statistical significance on the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in non-type 2 diabetes (non-T2DM) mellitus patients with diabetes, for the pooled standardized mean difference was −0.29 (95% CI −0.54, −0.04; p=0.02).

Conclusions:

Probiotics may have beneficial effects on the reduction of glucose, insulin and HbA1cfor diabetes, especially for T2DM mellitus patients.
The Quest for Operational Priorities: Areas in Need of Strategic Development Intervention
Authors: Qerimi Qerim
Published: June 2017

This article seeks to define a certain set of priority areas in need of strategic development-oriented intervention in contexts that are linked to failed, failing, and week states, including post-conflict societies. The need for prioritization is dictated, among others, by the scarcity of resources and an overall unenthusiastic climate for international aid and other development efforts. The very choice of the areas can in itself be conceived as a prioritization. These four priority areas, operationalized in the article, form the core of the argument, namely (1) effective institutions; (2) enforceable universalistic human rights /rule of law; (3) economic development; and (4) effectuation of supranational efforts and policies in line with contextual domestic circumstances.
Standard Southern British English as referee design in Irish radio advertising
Authors: O’Sullivan Joan
Published: June 2017

The exploitation of external as opposed to local language varieties in advertising can be associated with a history of colonization, the external variety being viewed as superior to the local (Bell 1991,The language of news media. Oxford: Basil Blackwell: 145). Although “Standard English” in terms of accent was never an exonormative model for speakers in Ireland (Hickey 2012, Standard Irish English. In Raymond Hickey (ed.),Standards of English: Codified varieties around the world, 96–116. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), nevertheless Ireland’s history of colonization by Britain, together with the geographical proximity and close socio-political and sociocultural connections of the two countries makes the Irish context an interesting one in which to examine this phenomenon. This study looks at how and to what extent standard British Received Pronunciation (RP), now termed Standard Southern British English (SSBE) (see Hughes et al. 2012,English accents and dialects, 5th edn. New York: Routledge) as opposed to Irish English varieties is exploited in radio advertising in Ireland. The study is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a corpus of ads broadcast on an Irish radio station in the years 1977, 1987, 1997 and 2007. The use of SSBE in the ads is examined in terms ofreferee design(Bell 1984, Language style as audience design.Language in Society13(2). 145–204.) which has been found to be a useful concept in explaining variety choice in the advertising context and in “taking the ideological temperature” of society (Vestergaard and Schroder 1985,The language of advertising. Oxford: Blackwell: 121). The analysis is based on Sussex’s (1989, The Americanisation of Australian English: Prestige models in the media. In Peter Collins & David Blair (eds.),Australian English: The language of a new society, 158–170. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) advertisement components of Action and Comment, which relate to the genre of the discourse.
Particle verbs in English: Telicity or scalarity?
Authors: Walková Milada
Published: June 2017

Aspectual properties of English particles still lack a satisfactory account, as neither the standard (Brinton 1985, Verb particles in English: Aspect or aktionsart? Studia Linguistica 39(2). 157–168. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9582.1985.tb00750.x (accessed 30 January 2015)) nor a more recent (Cappelle and Chauvin 2010, Interprétations aspectuelles des verbes à particule en anglais: Téliques, comparatifs, résultatifs. In Pascale Hadermann, Olga Inkova, Michel Pierrard & Dan Van Raemdonck (eds.), Approches de la scalarité, 249–281. Geneve: Droz) account can be generalized over all aspectual particles. By analyzing aspect in terms of scalarity this paper argues that particles are either scalar or non-scalar, which leads to their different aspectual and syntactic behavior. Scalar particles are marked for scalarity; they can affect the argument structure of the verb root and enforce telicity. In contrast, non-scalar particles are unmarked for scalarity; they do not affect the argument structure and do not enforce telicity. Both scalar and non-scalar particles systematically appear in atelic and telic sentences, depending on the verb root and its arguments. Scalarity, like telicity, is a feature built compositionally and monotonically.
Wave-induced bedload transport – a study of the southern Baltic coastal zone
Authors: Dudkowska Aleksandra , Gic-Grusza Gabriela
Published: June 2017

The wave-induced bedload transport and spatial distribution of its magnitude in the southern Baltic coastal zone of Poland are estimated. The vicinity of Lubiatowo was selected as a representative part of the Polish coast. It was assumed that transport is a function of shear stress; alternative approaches, based on force balances and discharge relationships, were not considered in the present study. Four models were studied and compared over a wide range of bottom shear stress and wind-wave conditions. The set of models comprises classic theories that assume a simplified influence of turbulence on sediment transport (e.g., advocated by authors such as Du Boys, Meyer-Peter and Müller, Ribberink, Engelund and Hansen). It is shown that these models allow to estimate transport comparable to measured values under similar environmental conditions. A united general model for bedload transport is proposed, and a set of maps of wave bedload transport for various wind conditions in the study area is presented.
An accuracy study of the Intracavitary Electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) guided peripherally inserted central catheter tip placement among neonates
Authors: Zhou Lian-juan , Xu Hong-zhen , Xu Mei-fang , Hu Yan , Lou Xiao-Fang
Published: June 2017

Objective

To explore the clinical application of the intracavitary electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) guided Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) tip placement among neonates.

Background

the ECGs of neonates are difficult to perform and their wave shapes are of doubtful accuracy due to various interfering factors

Method

115 neonates were admitted to perform PICC guided by IC-ECG. Logistic regression was performed to analyze all possible influencing factors of the accuracy from the tip placement. The puncture site of the PICC, gestational age, height, weight, basal P/R amplitude and positioning P/R amplitude might be related to the accuracy of IC-ECG location.

Result

The accuracy in the lower extremity was higher than that in the upper extremity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the weight (Odds Ratio (OR)=1.93, 95%Confidence Interval(CI):1.06-3.50) and positioning P/R amplitude (OR=32.33, 95%CI: 2.02-517.41) are statistically significant risks to the accuracy PICC tip placement.

Conclusions

Possible methods to improve the accuracy might be Catheterizing through lower extremity, keeping the neonates calm, enhancing the electrocardiogram signal and strengthening technical training. Therefore it is practical to perfrom a tip placement by the dynamic change in the P waves from an electrocardiogram (ECG) guided PICC among neonates and as reliable as using X-rays.
Broadband plasmonic silver nanoflowers for high-performance random lasing covering visible region
Authors: Chang Qing , Shi Xiaoyu , Liu Xuan , Tong Junhua , Liu Dahe , Wang Zhaona
Published: June 2017

Multicolor random lasing has broad potential applications in the fields of imaging, sensing, and optoelectronics. Here, silver nanoflowers (Ag NF) with abundant nanogaps are fabricated by a rapid one-step solution-phase synthesis method and are first proposed as effective broadband plasmonic scatterers to achieve different color random lasing. With abundant nanogaps and spiky tips near the surface and the interparticle coupling effect, Ag NFs greatly enhance the local electromagnetic field and induce broadband plasmonic scattering spectra over the whole visible range. The extremely low working threshold and the high-quality factor for Ag NF-based random lasers are thus demonstrated as 0.24 MW cm−2 and 11,851, respectively. Further, coherent colorful random lasing covering the visible range is realized using the dye molecules oxazine (red), Coumarin 440 (blue), and Coumarin 153 (green), showing high-quality factor of more than 10,000. All these features show that Ag NF are highly efficient scatterers for high-performance coherent random lasing and colorful random lasers.
Crystal structure of 3-amino-1-(4-bromophenyl)-9-methoxy-1H-benzo[f]chromene-2-carbonitrile, C21H15BrN2O2
Authors: Mohamed Hany M. , Amr Abd El-Galil E. , El-Agrody Ahmed M. , Al-Omar Mohamed A. , Ghabbour Hazem A.
Published: June 2017

C21H15BrN2O2, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 8.6873(3) Å, b = 9.9252(3) Å, c = 11.0013(3) Å, α = 77.977(2)°, β = 70.989(2)°, γ = 89.321(2)°, V = 875.55(5) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0369, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1043, T = 296(2) K.
Crystal structure of poly[(μ3-2-(pyrazin-2-ylthio)acetato-κ3
N:O:S)silver(I)], C6H5AgN2O2S
Authors: Fan Hui-Tao , Qi Shu-Guang , Liu Shan-Shan , Zhao Ling
Published: June 2017

C6H5AgN2O2S, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 10.0546(4) Å, b = 10.7329(5) Å, c = 6.9044(7) Å, β = 99.255(6)°, V = 735.39(9) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0422, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0967, T = 293(2) K.
Crystal structure of 4-(chloromethyl)-3-nitrobenzoic acid, C8H6ClNO4
Authors: Linxin Deng , Hui Liu , Song Li
Published: June 2017

C8H6ClNO4, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 7.5316(7) Å, b = 17.0508(15) Å, c = 14.1080(13) Å, β = 100.605(1)°, V = 1780.8(3) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0562, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1692, T = 298 K.
Crystal structure of (3,6-dioxocyclohexa-1,4-diene-1,4-bis(olato)-κ4
O,O′:O′′,O′′′)-bis(tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-κ4
N,N′,N′′,N′′′))-dizinc(II) bis(hexafluorophosphate(V)), C42H38F12N8O4P2Zn2
Authors: Nan Li , Li-Fang Zhang , Yun Zhao
Published: June 2017

C42H38F12N8O4P2Zn2, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 11.470(2) Å, b = 16.221(3) Å, c = 11.548(2) Å, β = 91.03(3)°, V = 2148.3(7) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0365, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0905, T = 123(2) K.
Crystal structure of 2-(4-(2-(4-benzylpiperazin-1-yl)ethyl)benzyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione, C28H29N3O2
Authors: Wang Yujuan , Tao Li , Cui Suzhen , Liang Zhu , Shi Maojian , Zhou Jinhui
Published: June 2017

C28H29N3O2, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 6.7598(9) Å, b = 10.1294(13) Å, c = 18.386(3) Å, α = 78.536(7)°, β = 83.758(8)°, γ = 76.550(8)°, V = 1197.4(3) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0492, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1473, T = 293 K.
Öffentliche Theologie, Milieuorientierung und die Theorie der Anerkennung
Authors: Albrecht Johannes-Friedrich
Published: June 2017

Die Milieuperspektive schärft das Problembewusstsein für Ausgrenzung in der Kirche, doch soziale und politische Fragen nach Gerechtigkeit und milieubedingte Leiderfahrungen werden nicht thematisiert. Öffentliche Theologie hat ihr Problem dagegen mit der Unterstellung, soziale und politische Anliegen würden gegenüber Religiösem im Vordergrund stehen. Die Stellungnahmen der Kirche zu Fragen der Gerechtigkeit und zum Verhältnis der Religionen gewinnen spezifische Evidenz, wenn sie auf die Wahrnehmung und Anerkennung des Anderen im Kult oder im Kontext des Kultes bezogen sind und dies als Erschließungs- und Motivationshintergrund transparent machen. Die Theorie der Anerkennung sensibilisiert dafür, dass die kirchliche Kommunikation von Gesetz und Evangelium nur gelingt, wenn reflektiert wird, wer in ihr Anerkennung erfährt, welche Vorerfahrungen mit kirchlicher Anerkennung gemacht wurde und vor allem in welchem Kontext sie sich ereignet.