bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical analysis of magnetically switched transparency in planar semiconductor interfaces
Authors: Song Kil-Song , Im Song-Jin , Pae Ji-Song , Ri Chol-Song , Ho Kum-Song , Han Yong-Ha
Published: January 2021

Magnetic field detuning of the surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) resonance is one of the most popular schemes for magnetoplasmonic devices and subwavelength optical isolators. The main difficulty limiting their performance is the need to use a strong magnetic field. We reveal that the carrier mobility of the magnetoplasmonic semiconductor is a crucial parameter for the device performance, solely determining the required magnetic field intensity, ≥1/(the carrier mobility). The required magnetic field intensity does not directly depend on other material parameters such as the background dielectric permittivity, the semiconductor carrier density, and the electron's effective mass. This has been demonstrated by analytical analysis and numerical simulations of magnetically switched transparency from the SPP resonance opacity in planar semiconductor interfaces when applying a transverse magnetic field. Our finding points to an important limitation in and provides guidance for the use of magnetic field detuning of the SPP resonance for magnetoplasmonic modulators and subwavelength nonreciprocal devices.
Disease transmission through expiratory aerosols on an urban bus
Authors: Zhang Zhihang , Han Taehoon , Yoo Kwang Hee , Capecelatro Jesse , Boehman André L. , Maki Kevin
Published: January 2021

Airborne respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 pose significant challenges to public transportation. Several recent outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 indicate the high risk of transmission among passengers on public buses if special precautions are not taken. This study presents a combined experimental and numerical analysis to identify transmission mechanisms on an urban bus and assess strategies to reduce risk. The effects of the ventilation and air-conditioning systems, opening windows and doors, and wearing masks are analyzed. Specific attention is paid to the transport of submicron- and micron-sized particles relevant to typical respiratory droplets. High-resolution instrumentation was used to measure size distribution and aerosol response time on a campus bus of the University of Michigan under these different conditions. Computational fluid dynamics was employed to measure the airflow within the bus and evaluate risk. A risk metric was adopted based on the number of particles exposed to susceptible passengers. The flow that carries these aerosols is predominantly controlled by the ventilation system, which acts to uniformly distribute the aerosol concentration throughout the bus while simultaneously diluting it with fresh air. The opening of doors and windows was found to reduce the concentration by approximately one half, albeit its benefit does not uniformly impact all passengers on the bus due to the recirculation of airflow caused by entrainment through windows. Finally, it was found that well fitted surgical masks, when worn by both infected and susceptible passengers, can nearly eliminate the transmission of the disease.
Magneto-optical investigation of scattering by superparamagnetic nanoparticles using multi-harmonic analysis
Authors: Syed Maarij , Li Wei , Fried Nathaniel , Patterson Cody
Published: January 2021

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are widely used in imaging, magnetic hyperthermia, drug delivery, etc. We present a continuation of our study of dilute aqueous suspensions of magnetite nanoparticles using an AC Faraday rotation setup. Our previous results focused on analyzing the first and higher odd harmonics of the magnetic field frequency yielding the average particle magnetic moment μ, particle density n, and Verdet constant of the sample. Here, we investigate the leading even harmonic (2f) signal to analyze scattering by constructing a scattering ratio. This signal is independent of the polarization state of the incident light and is therefore not relatable to Faraday rotation (FR). The evidence of MNP clustering along with the geometric shadowing effect may explain the scattering response as a function of magnetic field frequency and amplitude. Investigation of clusters in SNPs is critical to establish their effective moment and size as a function of magnetic field profile. This analysis can provide a consistency check on the odd harmonic analysis, in addition to providing a physical picture of the underlying process of cluster formation. We have measured the scattering response of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles that vary in size from 15 to 25 nm along with two different types of SNPs with the same core diameter (20 nm) but different functionalization layers (Oleic acid and PEG). To explain the change in light intensity as a function of magnetic field, we are developing a model that employs a field-dependent cross-section which we hope to relate to cluster size.
MgO template effect for perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in (001)-textured poly-crystalline MnAlGe films
Authors: Kubota Takahide , Ito Keita , Umetsu Rie Y. , Mizuguchi Masaki , Takanashi Koki
Published: January 2021

Magnetic thin films showing high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, Ku, and low saturation magnetization, Ms, are essential for realizing a small switching current in spintronic devices utilizing the current induced magnetization switching phenomena. The Cu2Sb-type MnAlGe intermetallic compound is a material showing uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy with a relatively low Ms, which is attractive for spintronic application. In this study, the layer thickness dependence of Ku was investigated in poly-crystalline MnAlGe films, and the MgO template effect is discussed to achieve perpendicularly magnetized films in a few-nanometer thickness range. Experimental results suggested that the (001)-texture for the perpendicular magnetization was promoted by the MgO(001) template through the solid-phase epitaxy growth by annealing, which is similar with that in conventionally used CoFeB|MgO layered samples. Ku of about 2 × 106 erg/cm3 was achieved in a 5 nm-thick MnAlGe film using MgO buffer and capping exhibiting a low Ms value of approximately 200 emu/cm3 at room temperature. Although the magnitude of Ku is still in a moderate range, the low Ms is a promising feature for spintronic application.
Modern physical methods for the molecular design of single-molecule magnets
Authors: Novikov Valentin V. , Nelyubina Yulia V.
Published: January 2021

Many paramagnetic metal complexes have emerged as unique magnetic materials (single-molecule magnets), which behave as conventional magnets at the single-molecule level, thereby making it possible to use them in modern devices for data storage and processing. The rational design of these complexes, however, requires a deep understanding of the physical laws behind a single-molecule magnet behaviour, the mechanisms of magnetic relaxation that determines the magnetic properties and the relationship of these properties with the structure of single-molecule magnets. This review focuses on the physical methods providing such understanding, including different versions and various combinations of magnetometry, electron paramagnetic and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Many of these methods are traditionally used to determine the composition and structure of new chemical compounds. However, they are rarely applied to study molecular magnetism.

The bibliography includes 224 references.
Multiple signaling pathways are essential for synapse formation induced by synaptic adhesion molecules
Authors: Jiang Xian , Sando Richard , Südhof Thomas C.
Published: January 2021

Significance

Formation of synapses is thought to be mediated by transsynaptic adhesion molecules, but the intracellular signaling pathways involved are largely unknown. Here we studied synapse formation using as an approach heterologous synapse formation assays, in which synaptic adhesion molecules expressed in a nonneuronal cell induce formation of pre- or postsynaptic specializations in cocultured neurons. Aided by pharmacological inhibitors and genetic tools, we found that c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and protein kinase-A signaling contributes to the formation of both pre- and postsynaptic specializations during heterologous synapse formation, whereas the PI3 kinase/AKT signaling pathway is required only for formation of post- but not of presynaptic specializations. Our results suggest that a multistage kinase network is essential for heterologous synapse formation.
Insects and recent climate change
Authors: Halsch Christopher A. , Shapiro Arthur M. , Fordyce James A. , Nice Chris C. , Thorne James H. , Waetjen David P. , Forister Matthew L.
Published: January 2021

Insects have diversified through more than 450 million y of Earth’s changeable climate, yet rapidly shifting patterns of temperature and precipitation now pose novel challenges as they combine with decades of other anthropogenic stressors including the conversion and degradation of land. Here, we consider how insects are responding to recent climate change while summarizing the literature on long-term monitoring of insect populations in the context of climatic fluctuations. Results to date suggest that climate change impacts on insects have the potential to be considerable, even when compared with changes in land use. The importance of climate is illustrated with a case study from the butterflies of Northern California, where we find that population declines have been severe in high-elevation areas removed from the most immediate effects of habitat loss. These results shed light on the complexity of montane-adapted insects responding to changing abiotic conditions. We also consider methodological issues that would improve syntheses of results across long-term insect datasets and highlight directions for future empirical work.
A window to the world of global insect declines: Moth biodiversity trends are complex and heterogeneous
Authors: Wagner David L. , Fox Richard , Salcido Danielle M. , Dyer Lee A.
Published: January 2021

Moths are the most taxonomically and ecologically diverse insect taxon for which there exist considerable time-series abundance data. There is an alarming record of decreases in moth abundance and diversity from across Europe, with rates varying markedly among and within regions. Recent reports from Costa Rica reveal steep cross-lineage declines of caterpillars, while other sites (Ecuador and Arizona, reported here) show no or only modest long-term decreases over the past two decades. Rates of decline for dietary and ecological specialists are steeper than those for ecologically generalized taxa. Additional traits commonly associated with elevated risks include large wingspans, small geographic ranges, low dispersal ability, and univoltinism; taxa associated with grasslands, aridlands, and nutrient-poor habitats also appear to be at higher risk. In temperate areas, many moth taxa limited historically by abiotic factors are increasing in abundance and range. We regard the most important continental-scale stressors to include reductions in habitat quality and quantity resulting from land-use change and climate change and, to a lesser extent, atmospheric nitrification and introduced species. Site-specific stressors include pesticide use and light pollution. Our assessment of global macrolepidopteran population trends includes numerous cases of both region-wide and local losses and studies that report no declines. Spatial variation of reported losses suggests that multiple stressors are in play. With the exception of recent reports from Costa Rica, the most severe examples of moth declines are from Northern Hemisphere regions of high human-population density and intensive agriculture.
Shell mineralogy of a foundational marine species,
Mytilus californianus
, over half a century in a changing ocean
Authors: Bullard Elizabeth M. , Torres Ivan , Ren Tianqi , Graeve Olivia A. , Roy Kaustuv
Published: January 2021

Significance

Anthropogenic ocean acidification (OA) is a potential threat for marine calcifying organisms. While much experimental work has been done to assess the impacts of OA on marine calcifiers, studies over long temporal scales and across multiple populations still remain limited. Here, we combine historical data with recent field surveys to quantify the plasticity in shell mineralogy, a key functional trait, of a foundational marine bivalve,
Mytilus californianus
. Our data suggest that mineralogy in this species is responding more to pH and saturation state changes than warming or decreasing salinity. This study highlights the importance of utilizing long-term data sets and large spatial comparisons to understand and test predictions about species responses to a changing world.
Emergence of homochirality in large molecular systems
Authors: Laurent Gabin , Lacoste David , Gaspard Pierre
Published: January 2021

Significance

The selection of a single molecular handedness among the two possible configurations of a given molecule, or homochirality, is observed across all living matter and is a mystery in the origin of life. Here, we show that large chemical systems are likely to undergo a spontaneous symmetry breaking toward a homochiral state as the number of chiral species increases. Through an analysis of a large chemical database, we find that there is no need of very large molecules for chiral species to dominate over achiral ones; it already happens when molecules contain about 10 heavy atoms.
A link between synaptic plasticity and reorganization of brain activity in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Rebelo Diliana , Oliveira Francisco , Abrunhosa Antero , Januário Cristina , Lemos João , Castelo-Branco Miguel
Published: January 2021

Significance

The association between molecular and functional brain plasticities in health and disease remains an outstanding research challenge. Functional up-regulation of postsynaptic D2 receptors has been documented in PD while its significance at the neural activity level has never been identified. Here we provide a link between synaptic plasticity at the molecular level and reorganization of brain activity patterns. We combined molecular imaging of dopamine D
2
receptors and fMRI to identify molecular mechanisms underlying functional reorganization in PD. The identification of a relationship between neural activation changes with compensatory molecular phenotypes at the synaptic level paves the way for future work to understand the limits of brain reorganization of functional networks in neurological disorders.
Contribution of historical precipitation change to US flood damages
Authors: Davenport Frances V. , Burke Marshall , Diffenbaugh Noah S.
Published: January 2021

Significance

Precipitation extremes have increased in many regions of the United States, suggesting that climate change may be exacerbating the cost of flooding. However, the impact of historical precipitation change on the cost of US flood damages remains poorly quantified. Applying empirical analysis to historical precipitation and flood damages, we estimate that approximately one-third (36%) of the cost of flood damages over 1988 to 2017 is a result of historical precipitation changes. Climate models show that anthropogenic climate change has increased the probability of heavy precipitation associated with these costs. Our results provide information quantifying the costs of climate change, and suggest that lower levels of future warming would very likely reduce flooding losses relative to the current global warming trajectory.
The high-affinity immunoglobulin receptor FcγRI potentiates HIV-1 neutralization via antibodies against the gp41 N-heptad repeat
Authors: Montefiori David C. , Filsinger Interrante Maria V. , Bell Benjamin N. , Rubio Adonis A. , Joyce Joseph G. , Shiver John W. , LaBranche Celia C. , Kim Peter S.
Published: January 2021

Significance

Despite decades of research, an effective HIV-1 vaccine remains elusive. One potential vaccine target is the N-heptad repeat (NHR) region of gp41, which is the target of the FDA-approved drug enfuvirtide. However, monoclonal antibodies and antisera targeting this region have only been modestly neutralizing to date. Here, we show that the neutralization potency of the well-characterized anti-NHR antibody D5 is increased >5,000-fold by expression of FcγRI (CD64) on cells. Since FcγRI is expressed on macrophages and dendritic cells, which are implicated in the early establishment of HIV-1 infection following sexual transmission, these results may be important to HIV-1 vaccine development.
Goblet cell LRRC26 regulates BK channel activation and protects against colitis in mice
Authors: Gonzalez-Perez Vivian , Martinez-Espinosa Pedro L. , Sala-Rabanal Monica , Bharadwaj Nikhil , Xia Xiao-Ming , Chen Albert C. , Alvarado David , Gustafsson Jenny K. , Hu Hongzhen , Ciorba Matthew A. , Lingle Christopher J.
Published: January 2021

Significance

A primary function of goblet cells (GCs) of the intestinal epithelium is to generate a protective mucus layer lining the intestinal lumen. GC dysfunction is linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). GC mucus secretion is thought to be dependent on contributions of an ensemble of anion and cation fluxes, although understanding remains limited. Here, it is shown in mouse colon that the Ca
2+
- and voltage-dependent BK-type K
+
channel, specifically in association with the LRRC26 regulatory subunit, plays a critical role in normal GC function, protecting mice against chemically induced colitis. The results demonstrate that normal K
+
fluxes mediated by LRRC26-containing BK channels are required for normal GC function, potentially providing insights into the potential role of BK channels in IBD.
Equity for women and underrepresented minorities in STEM: Graduate experiences and career plans in chemistry
Authors: Stockard Jean , Rohlfing Celeste M. , Richmond Geraldine L.
Published: January 2021

Significance

On June 10, 2020, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, scientists in the United States and throughout the world paused to consider how systematic racism affects the scientific enterprise. As a result, many academic departments are now assessing policies and practices that may contribute to this situation. This paper provides evidence of the nature of inequities related to race–ethnicity and gender in graduate school experiences and career plans of PhD students in one science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) discipline, chemistry. The results can help promote understanding of the problems and guide efforts toward equity within STEM and, potentially, other academic areas. In turn, these changes can strengthen the scientific enterprise and the well-being of society.
Droplet-based mRNA sequencing of fixed and permeabilized cells by CLInt-seq allows for antigen-specific TCR cloning
Authors: Nesterenko Pavlo A. , McLaughlin Jami , Cheng Donghui , Bangayan Nathanael J. , Burton Sojo Giselle , Seet Christopher S. , Qin Yu , Mao Zhiyuan , Obusan Matthew B. , Phillips John W. , Witte Owen N.
Published: January 2021

Significance

T cell receptors (TCRs) surveil cellular environment by recognizing peptides presented by the major histocompatibility complex. TCR sequencing allows for understanding the scope of T cell reactivity in health and disease. Specific TCR clones can be used as therapeutics in cancer and autoimmune disease. We present a technique that allows for TCR sequencing based on intracellular signaling molecules, such as cytokines and transcription factors. The core concept is highly generalizable and should be applicable to global gene expression analysis where intracellular marker-based cell isolation is required.
A subset of spinal dorsal horn interneurons crucial for gating touch-evoked pain-like behavior
Authors: Tashima Ryoichi , Koga Keisuke , Yoshikawa Yu , Sekine Misuzu , Watanabe Moeka , Tozaki-Saitoh Hidetoshi , Furue Hidemasa , Yasaka Toshiharu , Tsuda Makoto
Published: January 2021

Significance

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating chronic pain condition occurring after nerve damage. Its cardinal symptom is touch-evoked pain (mechanical allodynia), which is refractory to available medications including morphine. The underlying mechanism for allodynia remains incompletely understood. Using our recently established optogenetic approach for allodynia, here we identify a subset of spinal dorsal horn inhibitory interneurons (AAV-NpyP
+
interneurons) that acts as a critical brake on conversion of touch-sensing Aβ fiber signals into pain-like behavior that is resistant to morphine. AAV-NpyP
+
interneuron activity was reduced in a neuropathic pain model, and, conversely, activation of AAV-NpyP
+
interneurons in this model reversed Aβ fiber-derived pain-like behavior. Our study reveals a mechanism for touch–pain conversion and may provide a therapeutic strategy for neuropathic allodynia.
Linguistic units and their systems
Authors: Krekoski Ross
Published: January 2021

A theoretical discussion of units in linguistic theory would be, in a sense, incomplete without a discussion of the systems, whether overt or implied, that the units are associated with. This paper traces conceptualizations of units and their accompanying systems in several disciplines. We identify some important problems with rule-based accounts (Parsons 1937) of social action and discuss the transition to non-rule-based theory afforded by ethnomethodology (e.g. Garfinkel 1963, 1967; Heritage 1984, 2011). We draw direct parallels between these issues and analogous developments in mathematical logic (Gödel 1992) and philosophy of mind (Fodor 1968, 1983; Lucas 1961; Putnam 1960, 1967 etc.), and argue that these stem directly from fundamental properties of a class of all formal systems which permit self-reference. We argue that, since these issues are architectural in nature, linguistic theory which postulates that linguistic units are the outputs of a consistent, self-referential, rule-based formal systems (e.g. Hauser, Chomsky & Fitch 2002) will inevitably run into similar problems. This is further supported by examples from actual language use which, as a class, will elude any theoretical explanation grounded in such a system.
Referring expressions in categorizing activities
Authors: Mayes Patricia , Tao Hongyin
Published: January 2021

Linguistic units as traditionally conceived by linguists favor structural features and referential
meanings. In this paper, we propose a new way of understanding the nature of linguistic units by analyzing the interaction of
multiple semiotic resources (gestures, bodily movement, eye gaze and speech) in social interaction. We focus
on the discursive activity of “categorizing” in different situations and in two languages, English and Mandarin Chinese.
Categorizing is broadly defined as any activity that involves explicitly or implicitly classifying people or objects into
types. We show that the meanings of linguistic units (including the referential) may be distorted or incomplete when forms are
extracted from their contexts and analyzed in isolation. Instead, we argue that an interactional, activity-based view,
focusing on the deployment of linguistic elements as part of a coordinated system of semiotic resources, will enable us to
understand the nature of linguistic units in a more productive way.
Questioning the clause as a crosslinguistic unit in grammar and interaction
Authors: Laury Ritva , Ono Tsuyoshi , Suzuki Ryoko
Published: January 2021

This paper focuses on ‘clause’, a celebrated structural unit in linguistics, by comparing Finnish and Japanese,
two languages which are genetically, typologically, and areally distinct from each other and from English, the language on the
basis of which this structural unit has been most typically discussed. We first examine how structural units including the clause
have been discussed in the literature on Finnish and Japanese. We will then examine the reality of the clause in everyday talk in
these languages quantitatively and qualitatively; in our qualitative analysis, we focus in particular on what units are oriented
to by conversational participants. The current study suggests that the degree of grammaticization of the clause varies
cross-linguistically and questions the central theoretical status accorded to this structural unit.
Patterns of coining and constructions
Authors: Delhem Romain , Marty Caroline
Published: January 2021

We develop the notion ofpattern of coiningfound in some complete-inheritance models of Construction Grammar (Fillmore 1997;Kay 2013), which are processes used to coin new units based on analogy with an existing one. Unlike constructions, they cannot be considered systematically productive in synchrony. After providing measurement methods, we assess the productivity of three patterns (‧whelm, ‧liciousand ‧holic). To do so, we carried out a statistical analysis using two web corpora. Unlike Kay, we show that the difference between constructions and patterns of coining is not so clear-cut, since patterns of coining may undergo constructionalization, and that qualitative aspects should be taken into account along with quantitative data when trying to assess the status of a word-formation pattern.
Code-switching and loan translation in German-American
Authors: Dux Ryan
Published: January 2021

This squib applies and extends insights from (Diasystematic) Construction Grammar to the code-switching and
loan-translation of English verbs (and verbal constructions) in US-German dialects. After presenting recent findings about the nature and
interaction of language contact phenomena, I introduce the constructional principles guiding the analysis and the data sources. I then
present a wide array of data and formulate hypotheses regarding the processes and motivations underlying each type, appealing to a
constructional and usage-based view of the bilingual’s mental lexicon.
In search of constructions in writing process data
Authors: Gilquin Gaëtanelle
Published: January 2021

This article explores the possibility of identifying mentally stored constructions in writing process data, that
is, data that reproduce the process through which a text is written. The unit that serves as a basis for the identification of
constructions is the burst of writing, which corresponds to a chunk of text produced between two pauses. Bursts are examined in L1
French and L2 English keylogging data from the Process Corpus of English in Education and their potential constructional status is
considered.
Strange sounds, familiar words
Authors: Hagel Anna
Published: January 2021

When communicating across closely related languages or varieties (e.g. in interdialectal communication or in
regions such as Mainland Scandinavia), speakers have to learn how to decode words that show partial phonological differences from
the equivalents in their L1. Although contact situations like these are rather common, interlingual decoding has scarcely been
addressed in the CxG literature. As a contribution to this field of research, the paper discusses how (a particular stage in)
emerging receptive multilingualism can be modelled from a CxG perspective. Specifically, it deals with the idea that repeated
interlingual decoding generates partially schematic cross-linguistic constructions mirroring the speaker’s knowledge about sound
correspondences, as suggested by Diasystematic Construction Grammar (Höder 2019).
Mental representations of multimodal constructions
Authors: Kanetani Masaru
Published: January 2021

Japanese mimetics, and its psychomimes (e.g. gakkuri ‘disappointed’), in particular, are usually
accompanied in speech with bodily movements, including gestures and postures. I have already argued that certain patterns in
co-speech gestures and postures that accompanied psychomimes showed a relatively high rate of concord across speakers (Kanetani 2019). Taking the co-speech bodily movements as metonymic representations of
embodied metaphors of emotion, this paper suggests that these kinetic features may be stored as part of the speaker’s knowledge of
the words and argue that Japanese psychomimes are multimodal lexical constructions. I also show how such multimodal constructions
are represented in the mind and how they are expressed in actual use. In particular, I describe and examine two-dimensional
form-meaning pairings (based on Kita 1997) and show that one of the two dimensions may
be selectively expressed in a given context.
Pleonastic complex words as functional amalgams
Authors: Koutsoukos Nikos , Michaelis Laura A.
Published: January 2021

Syntactic amalgams are innovative phrasal constructions that combine otherwise incompatible subparts of other
constructions (Lambrecht 1988; Brenier and Michaelis
2005). We describe pleonastic formations like flavorize in English and ψηλαφ-ίζ(ω) [psilafízo]
‘palpate’ in Modern Greek as functional amalgams at the word level. We examine these formations through the lens of (function-oriented)
Sign-Based Construction Grammar (Sag 2012), arguing that once we see
derivational morphemes as signs, and sign combination as construction-driven rather than head-driven, we can describe such words as coercive
combinations that serve a variety of semiotic functions.
Pragmatic information in constructions
Authors: Kuzai Einat
Published: January 2021

Despite recent advances in Construction Pragmatics, a systematic way for delimiting coded pragmatic information has yet to be offered. This squib provides a step in establishing such an account by assessing what kind of pragmatic information speakers generalize from various usage-events. Drawing on findings from Conversation Analysis, I propose a distinction between pragmatic functions as speakers’ actions, and interactional patterns as discourse-information sequences. A synchronic examination of the Hebrew multifunctional discourse marker′at/a yode′a/′at(′know.prs.m/f.sg′) demonstrates the consistent use of the construction in an interactional pattern across numerous usage-events. A qualitative diachronic analysis of′at/a yode′a/′atsuggests that speakers may associate forms with interactional patterns rather than with functions. This preliminary evidence provides support for the generalization of interactional patterns.
Semantics and pragmatics in Construction Grammar
Authors: Leclercq Benoît
Published: January 2021

This squib provides a theoretical discussion on the use of the termssemanticsandpragmaticsin Construction Grammar. In the literature, the difference between semantics and pragmatics is often conceptualized either in terms of conventionality or in terms of truth-conditionality (Huang 2014, 299). It will be shown that, even though constructionists claim that there is no semantics–pragmatics distinction, both these underlying concepts are central to the study of constructions. Therefore, the aim is twofold. First, in keeping withCappelle (2017), it will be argued that constructionists should make more explicit the distinction between the two types of (encoded) meaning. Second, it will be shown that constructionists need to be more terminologically consistent and agree on how to use the termssemanticsandpragmatics. FollowingDepraetere (2019), I will argue that the termssemanticsandpragmaticsare most explanatory when defined in truth-conditional terms. In this way, finer-grained understanding of the meaning of constructions can be achieved.
Strong resultative constructions in Romance between usage and norm
Authors: Romagno Domenica
Published: January 2021

The presence of strong resultative constructions in Romance languages is largely debated. In this paper, we provide evidence of strong resultative constructions with adjectival predicate in Italo-Romance. Data from Southern Italian varieties spoken in the area of Cosenza, in Northern Calabria, are discussed. The usage and distribution of two types of adjectival resultative are accounted for in relation to both structural and functional properties, and sociolinguistic variables.
Delineating extravagance
Authors: Ungerer Tobias , Hartmann Stefan
Published: January 2021

While the concept of extravagance, used to describe speakers’ use of imaginative and noticeable language, has seen a surge
in popularity in recent constructionist work, researchers have not yet converged on a set of common criteria for identifying extravagant
expressions. In this paper, we discuss a variety of existing definitions and combine them into five main characteristics of extravagant
language. We then present the results of a small-scale pilot rating study in which speakers judged extravagant sentences and their
non-extravagant paraphrases. Our findings suggest that different constructions vary in their degree of perceived extravagance, and that
certain features (e.g. stylistic salience) apply to most extravagant examples while the role of other factors (e.g. the speaker’s emotional
involvement) may be restricted to a subset of extravagant patterns. We conclude with some open questions concerning the further demarcation
and operationalisation of the concept of extravagance.
Cognitive reality of constructions as a theoretical and methodological challenge in historical
linguistics
Authors: Zehentner Eva
Published: January 2021

This squib discusses empirical challenges incurred by assuming cognitive reality as a defining feature of
constructions and the constructional network, as done in most usage-based, cognitive construction grammar approaches.
Specifically, it zooms in on the methodological challenges in identifying cognitively plausible constructions in historical data,
in particular when taking a highly exploratory, bottom-up approach with very little pre-selection or pre-analysis. I illustrate
this issue with the example of a current project on PPs in the history of English, and the various functions these have in
combination with verbs (from prototypical adjuncts to complements). I argue that the constraints of historical data make it
necessary to find different, new ways to determine which abstractions and distinctions are likely to have been represented in
minds of historical language users, and to furthermore identify changes in constructional networks over time.
Postharvest handling, grading and sorting.
Authors: Morgan Lynette
Published: January 2021

Postharvest handling systems move produce from the grower to the consumer with minimal losses in quality and quantity providing a uniform, year round supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. The postharvest handling phase includes all stages of processing immediately following harvest and is characterised by various methods of pre-cooling, washing, cleaning, trimming, sorting, grading and packing. Postharvest handling and sorting has been in practice for as long as plants have been consumed by man. The earliest forms of handling systems would have simply involved dividing fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and other produce into those which were fully ripe and/or damaged and require immediate consumption and those which could be put aside and stored for future use. Removal of rotten and inedible plant material immediately postharvest would have been carried out with the objective of preventing contamination of any produce to be stored, further ripened or processed by drying. Washing, cleaning and trimming are the postharvest operations which have been in use the longest. For much of agricultural history, fresh fruits and vegetables were harvested and consumed within a short time frame, thus the requirement for extensive grading, packaging, cooling and transportation was minimal. However, since the 1940s there has been a shift from consumers buying mostly fresh seasonal locally grown produce, to a vast international trade in a wide range of horticultural commodities. Some, such as apples and kiwifruit, may be stored for up to a year at a time before sale and consumption. This shift in produce handling has meant an increased reliance on postharvest handling systems to grade, sort, treat, classify and store produce in the correct way to standardise sizes, colours and maturity levels in order to maximise storage life and quality. Produce is often transported over large distances, passing through many handling systems before sale. Thus, attention to sanitation and food safety has become an increasing concern in the postharvest industry. Modern packhouses incorporate many standards and procedures to ensure produce is of the highest compositional and safety quality for consumers. The use of strict guidelines for packhouse and field food handling systems, GAP process (good agricultural practices), correct storage, grading out of reject product and classification into maturity levels have all assisted with this.
Decision support systems for horticulture.
Authors: Shabir Mir , Padma T.
Published: January 2021

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) are interactive computer-based information systems or subsystems intended to help decision makers use information and communication technologies, data, knowledge and/or models to solve complex and ill-structured management problems and to choose the best alternative solution in terms of economics, social impact and environmental issues (Manos et al., 2010). These systems are specifically being designed to address complex tasks involving multiple disciplines, enabling mimicking of the necessary requirements of fruit crops with respect to biotic and abiotic characteristics so that the optimum objectives specified by the user are obtained. They alter production systems, enhance management skills and reduce cost of production by applying modelling, simulations, specialized algorithms, calculation models, optimization and artificial intelligence techniques.
Pruning and training.
Authors: Morgan Lynette
Published: January 2021

Manipulation of plant growth via pruning and training methods has been carried out for as long as crops have been cultivated by man. These methods serve to not only improve the aesthetic value of ornamental plants, but also to increase yields, optimise fruit quality and prolong the productive life of horticultural crops. Pruning involves the selective removal of a diverse range of plant tissue. Branches, stems, roots, buds, flowers, leaves and young fruitlets may all be pruned depending on the purpose, species and growth form of the crop this is applied to. Training methods for horticultural applications are primarily used to support the plant and the weight of produce as it develops. Training structurally alters plant form, to alter the shape, size and direction of plant growth, it also allows optimal light interception and air flow and for ease of access for harvesting and other operations.
Horticultural fertilizers.
Authors: Morgan Lynette
Published: January 2021

Fertilizers are materials that provide the essential nutrient elements required for crop growth. The primary objective of applying fertilizers is to achieve an optimum plant response in terms of crop yield and quality, while at the same time minimising nutrient losses due to leaching and volatilisation. Fertilizers have become so important to plant growth that they are now responsible for approximately half of the world's crop production, supplying food, feed, fibre and fuel for a global population that is expected to reach 9 billion before the middle of the 21st century (Reetz, 2016).
Horticultural hygiene, sanitation and waste management.
Authors: Morgan Lynette
Published: January 2021

Hygiene and sanitation are vital aspects of horticultural production that serve to protect consumers from foodborne illness and to prevent the spread of crop pests and diseases, while maintaining produce quality and shelf life. Growers have access to many tools and techniques to maintain high levels of sanitation and hygiene with most crops, and production systems that have specific guidelines which outline these processes. Control over sanitation and hygiene in horticultural systems begins with the early stages of crop establishment during propagation, and carries through to postharvest grading, packing and storage so that the entire production chain has a lowered risk of microbial or other contamination. A significant part of control over sanitation includes the safe and effective disposal of wastewater, organic material and other refuse created during crop production and processing. Reducing waste and optimising waste management provides an economic advantage to a horticultural operation, often lowering the cost of disposal; it also protects the environment. Excessive and uncontrolled waste that is disposed of using inappropriate methods poses a risk to staff and public health, and may contaminate soil, water, air and have an ongoing effect on wildlife and natural ecosystems.
Prediction and collection of protein–metabolite interactions
Authors: Zhao Tianyi , Liu Jinxin , Zeng Xi , Wang Wei , Li Sheng , Zang Tianyi , Peng Jiajie , Yang Yang
Published: January 2021

Interactions between proteins and small molecule metabolites play vital roles in regulating protein functions and controlling various cellular processes. The activities of metabolic enzymes, transcription factors, transporters and membrane receptors can all be mediated through protein–metabolite interactions (PMIs). Compared with the rich knowledge of protein–protein interactions, little is known about PMIs. To the best of our knowledge, no existing database has been developed for collecting PMIs. The recent rapid development of large-scale mass spectrometry analysis of biomolecules has led to the discovery of large amounts of PMIs. Therefore, we developed the PMI-DB to provide a comprehensive and accurate resource of PMIs. A total of 49 785 entries were manually collected in the PMI-DB, corresponding to 23 small molecule metabolites, 9631 proteins and 4 species. Unlike other databases that only provide positive samples, the PMI-DB provides non-interaction between proteins and metabolites, which not only reduces the experimental cost for biological experimenters but also facilitates the construction of more accurate algorithms for researchers using machine learning. To show the convenience of the PMI-DB, we developed a deep learning-based method to predict PMIs in the PMI-DB and compared it with several methods. The experimental results show that the area under the curve and area under the precision-recall curve of our method are 0.88 and 0.95, respectively. Overall, the PMI-DB provides a user-friendly interface for browsing the biological functions of metabolites/proteins of interest, and experimental techniques for identifying PMIs in different species, which provides important support for furthering the understanding of cellular processes. The PMI-DB is freely accessible at http://easybioai.com/PMIDB.
The cosmological constant as a zero action boundary
Authors: Gaztañaga Enrique
Published: January 2021

The cosmological constant Λ is usually interpreted as Dark Energy (DE) or modified gravity (MG). Here, we propose instead that Λ corresponds to a boundary term in the action of classical General Relativity. The action is zero for a perfect fluid solution and this fixes Λ to the average density ρ and pressure p inside a primordial causal boundary: Λ = 4πG <ρ+3p >. This explains both why the observed value of Λ is related to the matter density today and also why other contributions to Λ, such as DE or MG, do not produce cosmic expansion. Cosmic acceleration results from the repulsive boundary force that occurs when the expansion reaches the causal horizon. This universe is similar to the ΛCDM universe, except on the largest observable scales, where we expect departures from homogeneity/isotropy, such as CMB anomalies and variations in cosmological parameters indicated by recent observations.
Construction of a far-ultraviolet all-sky map from an incomplete survey: application of a deep learning algorithm
Authors: Jo Young-Soo , Choi Yeon-Ju , Kim Min-Gi , Woo Chang-Ho , Min Kyoung-Wook , Seon Kwang-Il
Published: January 2021

We constructed a far-ultraviolet (FUV) all-sky map based on observations from the Far Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (FIMS) aboard the Korean microsatellite Science and Technology SATellite-1. For the ${\sim}20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the sky not covered by FIMS observations, predictions from a deep artificial neural network were used. Seven data sets were chosen for input parameters, including five all-sky maps of H α, E(B − V), N(H i), and two X-ray bands, with Galactic longitudes and latitudes. 70 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the pixels of the observed FIMS data set were randomly selected for training as target parameters and the remaining 30 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ were used for validation. A simple four-layer neural network architecture, which consisted of three convolution layers and a dense layer at the end, was adopted, with an individual activation function for each convolution layer; each convolution layer was followed by a dropout layer. The predicted FUV intensities exhibited good agreement with Galaxy Evolution Explorer observations made in a similar FUV wavelength band for high Galactic latitudes. As a sample application of the constructed map, a dust scattering simulation was conducted with model optical parameters and a Galactic dust model for a region that included observed and predicted pixels. Overall, FUV intensities in the observed and predicted regions were reproduced well.
Direct measurement of upward-going ultrahigh energy dark matter at the Pierre Auger Observatory
Authors: Xu Ye
Published: January 2021

It is assumed that two types of dark matter particles exist: superheavy dark matter particles (SHDM), the mass of which ∼ inflaton mass, and light fermion dark matter (DM) particles, which are the ultrahigh energy (UHE) products of the decay of SHDM. The Earth will be taken as a detector to search for the UHE DM particles directly. These upward-going particles, which pass through the Earth and air and interact with nuclei, can be detected by the fluorescence detectors (FD) of the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger), via fluorescent photons due to the development of an extensive air shower. The numbers and fluxes of expected UHE DM particles are evaluated in the incoming energy range between 1 EeV and 1 ZeV with the different lifetimes of decay of SHDM and mass of Z′. According to the Auger data from 2008 to 2019, the upper limit for UHE DM fluxes is also estimated at 90% confidence limit with the FD of Auger. Finally, it is reasonable to make a conclusion that UHE DM particles could be directly detected in the energy range between O(1 EeV) and O(10 EeV) with the FD of Auger. This might prove whether SHDM particles exist in the Universe.
Why is there a paucity of clinical trials in Africa?
Authors: Taylor-Robinson S D , Spearman C W , Suliman A A A
Published: January 2021

Disproportionately few clinical trials are undertaken on the African continent, in part due to lingering neocolonial attitudes in the Global North which keep research activity primarily in developing countries, while being skeptical of the abilities of those in the Global South to undertake organized clinical studies. In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicable research and clinical trials should be undertaken in relevant populations in order to extrapolate to a population level. This is all the more important in Africa, which has a rich genetic diversity. We suggest that a lack of organized research ethics committees across the continent and a deficiency of appropriate training are responsible in part for the reluctance of clinical trial organizers in the developed countries of the Global North to engage with medical leadership in Africa. We consider ways of alleviating this problem, including suggesting a pan-continental surveillance of ethics committee agendas and of training, either through the auspices of the African Union or the World Health Organization. In addition, medical leadership in African nations must be encouraged to take ownership of their medical ethics agendas to facilitate decent international clinical trial participation for the good of the continent as a whole.