bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal equilibrium of pure electron plasmas across a central region of magnetic surfaces
Authors: Hahn Michael , Pedersen Thomas Sunn
Published: June 2009

Measurements of the equilibria of plasmas created by emission from a biased filament located off the magnetic axis in the Columbia Non-neutral Torus (CNT) [T. S. Pedersen, J. P. Kremer, R. G. Lefrancois et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. 50, 372 (2006)] show that such plasmas have equilibrium properties consistent with the inner surfaces being in a state of cross-surface thermal equilibrium. Numerical solutions to the equilibrium equation were used to fit the experimental data and demonstrate consistency with cross-surface thermal equilibrium. Previous experiments in CNT showed that constant temperatures across magnetic surfaces are characteristic of CNT plasmas, implying thermal confinement times much less than particle confinement times. These results show that when emitting off axis there is a volume of inner surfaces where diffusion into that region is balanced by outward transport, producing a Boltzmann distribution of electrons. When combined with the low thermal energy confinement time this is a cross-surface thermal equilibrium.
Protecting the Amazon with protected areas
Authors: Walker Robert , Moore Nathan J. , Arima Eugenio , Perz Stephen , Simmons Cynthia , Caldas Marcellus , Vergara Dante , Bohrer Claudio
Published: June 2009

This article addresses climate-tipping points in the Amazon Basin resulting from deforestation. It applies a regional climate model to assess whether the system of protected areas in Brazil is able to avoid such tipping points, with massive conversion to semiarid vegetation, particularly along the south and southeastern margins of the basin. The regional climate model produces spatially distributed annual rainfall under a variety of external forcing conditions, assuming that all land outside protected areas is deforested. It translates these results into dry season impacts on resident ecosystems and shows that Amazonian dry ecosystems in the southern and southeastern basin do not desiccate appreciably and that extensive areas experience an increase in precipitation. Nor do the moist forests dry out to an excessive amount. Evidently, Brazilian environmental policy has created a sustainable core of protected areas in the Amazon that buffers against potential climate-tipping points and protects the drier ecosystems of the basin. Thus, all efforts should be made to manage them effectively.
Selective induction of neocortical GABAergic neurons by the PDK1-Akt pathway through activation of Mash1
Authors: Oishi Koji , Watatani Kenji , Itoh Yasuhiro , Okano Hideyuki , Guillemot François , Nakajima Kazunori , Gotoh Yukiko
Published: June 2009

Extracellular stimuli regulate neuronal differentiation and subtype specification during brain development, although the intracellular signaling pathways that mediate these processes remain largely unclear. We now show that the PDK1-Akt pathway regulates differentiation of telencephalic neural precursor cells (NPCs). Active Akt promotes differentiation of NPC into γ-aminobutyric acid-containing (GABAergic) but not glutamatergic neurons. Disruption of the
Pdk1
gene or expression of dominant-negative forms of Akt suppresses insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 enhancement of NPC differentiation into neurons in vitro and production of neocortical GABAergic neurons in vivo. Furthermore, active Akt increased the protein levels and transactivation activity of Mash1, a proneural basic helix-loop-helix protein required for the generation of neocortical GABAergic neurons, and Mash1 was required for Akt-induced neuronal differentiation. These results have unveiled an unexpected role of the PDK1-Akt pathway: a key mediator of extracellular signals regulating the production of neocortical GABAergic neurons.
Opposing effects of SWI/SNF and Mi-2/NuRD chromatin remodeling complexes on epigenetic reprogramming by EBF and Pax5
Authors: Gao Hua , Lukin Kara , Ramírez Julita , Fields Scott , Lopez Desiree , Hagman James
Published: June 2009

Transcriptionally silent genes are maintained in inaccessible chromatin. Accessibility of these genes requires their modification by chromatin remodeling complexes (CRCs), which are recruited to promoters by sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins. Early B-cell factor (EBF), which is crucial for B-cell lineage specification, reprograms
mb-1
(Ig-α) promoters by increasing chromatin accessibility and initiating the loss of DNA methylation. In turn, this facilitates promoter activation by Pax5. Here, we investigated the roles of ATP-dependent CRCs in these mechanisms. Fusion of EBF and Pax5 with the ligand-binding domain of ERα allowed for 4-hydroxytamoxifen-dependent, synergistic activation of
mb-1
transcription in plasmacytoma cells. Knock-down of the SWI/SNF ATPases Brg1 and Brm inhibited transcriptional activation by EBF:ER and Pax5:ER. In contrast, knock-down of the Mi-2/NuRD complex subunit Mi-2β greatly enhanced chromatin accessibility and
mb-1
transcription in response to the activators. The reduction of Mi-2β also propagated DNA demethylation in response to EBF:ER and Pax5:ER, resulting in fully unmethylated
mb-1
promoters. In EBF- or EBF/Pax5-deficient fetal liver cells, both EBF and Pax5 were required for efficient demethylation of
mb-1
promoters. Together, our data suggest that Mi-2/NuRD is important for the maintenance of hypermethylated chromatin in B cells. We conclude that SWI/SNF and Mi-2/NuRD function in opposition to enable or limit the reprogramming of genes by EBF and Pax5 during B-cell development.
The Rayleigh-Taylor condition for the evolution of irrotational fluid interfaces
Authors: Cordoba Antonio , Cordoba Diego , Gancedo Francisco
Published: June 2009

For the free boundary dynamics of the two-phase Hele-Shaw and Muskat problems, and also for the irrotational incompressible Euler equation, we prove existence locally in time when the Rayleigh–Taylor condition is initially satisfied for a 2D interface. The result for water waves was first obtained by Wu in a slightly different scenario (vanishing at infinity), but our approach is different because it emphasizes the active scalar character of the system and does not require the presence of gravity.
Suppressor of gamma response 1 (
SOG1
) encodes a putative transcription factor governing multiple responses to DNA damage
Authors: Yoshiyama Kaoru , Conklin Phillip A. , Huefner Neil D. , Britt Anne B.
Published: June 2009

The
Arabidopsis sog1-1
(suppressor of gamma response) mutant was originally isolated as a second-site suppressor of the radiosensitive phenotype of seeds defective in the repair endonuclease XPF. Here, we report that
SOG1
encodes a putative transcription factor. This gene is a member of the NAC domain [petunia
NAM
(no apical meristem) and Arabidopsis
ATAF1
, 2 and
CUC2
] family (a family of proteins unique to land plants). Hundreds of genes are normally up-regulated in
Arabidopsis
within an hour of treatment with ionizing radiation; the induction of these genes requires the damage response protein kinase ATM, but not the related kinase ATR. Here, we find that
SOG1
is also required for this transcriptional up-regulation. In contrast, the
SOG1
-dependent checkpoint response observed in
xpf
mutant seeds requires
ATR
, but does not require
ATM
. Thus, phenotype of the
sog1-1
mutant mimics aspects of the phenotypes of both
atr
and
atm
mutants in Arabidopsis, suggesting that
SOG1
participates in pathways governed by both of these sensor kinases. We propose that, in plants, signals related to genomic stress are processed through a single, central transcription factor,
SOG1
.
Clathrin adaptor AP1B controls adenovirus infectivity of epithelial cells
Authors: Diaz Fernando , Gravotta Diego , Deora Ami , Schreiner Ryan , Schoggins John , Falck-Pedersen Erik , Rodriguez-Boulan Enrique
Published: June 2009

Adenoviruses invading the organism via normal digestive or respiratory routes require the Coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) to infect the epithelial barrier cells. Because CAR is a component of tight junctions and the basolateral membrane and is normally excluded from the apical membrane, most epithelia are resistant to adenoviruses. However, we discovered that a specialized epithelium, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), anomalously expressed CAR at the apical surface and was highly susceptible to adenovirus infection. These properties of RPE cells correlated with the absence of the epithelial-specific clathrin adaptor AP1B. Furthermore, knockdown of this basolateral sorting adaptor in adenovirus-resistant MDCK cells promoted apical localization of CAR and increased dramatically Adenovirus infectivity. Targeting assays showed that AP1B is required for accurate basolateral recycling of CAR after internalization. AP1B knock down MDCK cells missorted CAR from recycling endosomes to the apical surface. In summary, we have characterized the cellular machinery responsible for normal sorting of an adenovirus receptor and illustrated how tissue-specific variations in such machinery result in drastic changes in tissue-susceptibility to adenoviruses.
Tunable interplay between epidermal growth factor and cell–cell contact governs the spatial dynamics of epithelial growth
Authors: Kim Jin-Hong , Kushiro Keiichiro , Graham Nicholas A. , Asthagiri Anand R.
Published: June 2009

Contact-inhibition of proliferation constrains epithelial tissue growth, and the loss of contact-inhibition is a hallmark of cancer cells. In most physiological scenarios, cell–cell contact inhibits proliferation in the presence of other growth-promoting cues, such as soluble growth factors (GFs). How cells quantitatively reconcile the opposing effects of cell–cell contact and GFs, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), remains unclear. Here, using quantitative analysis of single cells within multicellular clusters, we show that contact is not a “master switch” that overrides EGF. Only when EGF recedes below a threshold level, contact inhibits proliferation, causing spatial patterns in cell cycle activity within epithelial cell clusters. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the onset of contact-inhibition and the timing of spatial patterns in proliferation may be reengineered. Using micropatterned surfaces to amplify cell–cell interactions, we induce contact-inhibition at a higher threshold level of EGF. Using a complementary molecular genetics approach to enhance cell–cell interactions by overexpressing E-cadherin also increases the threshold level of EGF at which contact-inhibition is triggered. These results lead us to propose a state diagram in which epithelial cells transition from a contact-uninhibited state to a contact-inhibited state at a critical threshold level of EGF, a property that may be tuned by modulating the extent of cell–cell contacts. This quantitative model of contact-inhibition has direct implications for how tissue size may be determined and deregulated during development and tumor formation, respectively, and provides design principles for engineering epithelial tissue growth in applications such as tissue engineering.
Membrane depolarization causes a direct activation of G protein-coupled receptors leading to local Ca
2+
release in smooth muscle
Authors: Liu Qing-Hua , Zheng Yun-Min , Korde Amit S. , Yadav Vishal R. , Rathore Rakesh , Wess Jürgen , Wang Yong-Xiao
Published: June 2009

Membrane depolarization activates voltage-dependent Ca
2+
channels (VDCCs) inducing Ca
2+
release via ryanodine receptors (RyRs), which is obligatory for skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction and other physiological responses. However, depolarization-induced Ca
2+
release and its functional importance as well as underlying signaling mechanisms in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are largely unknown. Here we report that membrane depolarization can induce RyR-mediated local Ca
2+
release, leading to a significant increase in the activity of Ca
2+
sparks and contraction in airway SMCs. The increased Ca
2+
sparks are independent of VDCCs and the associated extracellular Ca
2+
influx. This format of local Ca
2+
release results from a direct activation of G protein-coupled, M
3
muscarinic receptors in the absence of exogenous agonists, which causes activation of Gq proteins and phospholipase C, and generation of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP
3
), inducing initial Ca
2+
release through IP
3
receptors and then further Ca
2+
release via RyR2 due to a local Ca
2+
-induced Ca
2+
release process. These findings demonstrate an important mechanism for Ca
2+
signaling and attendant physiological function in SMCs.
Single homopolypeptide chains collapse into mechanically rigid conformations
Authors: Dougan Lorna , Li Jingyuan , Badilla Carmen L. , Berne B. J. , Fernandez Julio M.
Published: June 2009

Huntington's disease is linked to the insertion of glutamine (Q) in the protein huntingtin, resulting in polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions that self-associate to form aggregates. While polyQ aggregation has been the subject of intense study, a correspondingly thorough understanding of individual polyQ chains is lacking. Here we demonstrate a single molecule force-clamp technique that directly probes the mechanical properties of single polyQ chains. We have made polyQ constructs of varying lengths that span the length range of normal and diseased polyQ expansions. Each polyQ construct is flanked by the I27 titin module, providing a clear mechanical fingerprint of the molecule being pulled. Remarkably, under the application of force, no extension is observed for any of the polyQ constructs. This is in direct contrast with the random coil protein PEVK of titin, which readily extends under force. Our measurements suggest that polyQ chains form mechanically stable collapsed structures. We test this hypothesis by disrupting polyQ chains with insertions of proline residues and find that their mechanical extensibility is sensitive to the position of the proline interruption. These experiments demonstrate that polyQ chains collapse to form a heterogeneous ensemble of conformations that are mechanically resilient. We further use a heat-annealing molecular dynamics protocol to extensively search the conformation space and find that polyQ can exist in highly mechanically stable compact globular conformations. The mechanical rigidity of these collapsed structures may exceed the functional ability of eukaryotic proteasomes, resulting in the accumulation of undigested polyQ sequences in vivo.
A biomarker based on the stable isotopes of nickel
Authors: Cameron Vyllinniskii , Vance Derek , Archer Corey , House Christopher H.
Published: June 2009

The new stable isotope systems of transition metals are increasingly used to understand and quantify the impact of primitive microbial metabolisms on the modern and ancient Earth. To date, little effort has been expended on nickel (Ni) isotopes but there are good reasons to believe that this system may be more straightforward, and useful in this respect, than some others. Here, we present Ni stable isotope data for abiotic terrestrial samples and pure cultures of methanogens. The dataset for rocks reveals little isotopic variability and provides a lithologic baseline for terrestrial Ni isotope studies. In contrast, methanogens assimilate the light isotopes, yielding residual media with a complementary heavy isotopic enrichment. Methanogenesis may have evolved during or before the Archean, when methane could have been key to Earth's early systems. Our data suggest significant potential in Ni stable isotopes for identifying and quantifying methanogenesis on the early planet. Additionally, Ni stable isotope fractionation may well prove to be the fundamental unambiguous trace metal biomarker for methanogens.
Formation of harmful algal blooms cannot be explained by allelopathic interactions
Authors: Jonsson Per R. , Pavia Henrik , Toth Gunilla
Published: June 2009

Many planktonic microalgae produce a range of toxins and may form harmful algal blooms. One hypothesis is that some toxins are allelopathic, suppressing the growth of competitors, and it has been suggested that allelopathy may be one important mechanism causing algal blooms. In a metaanalysis of recent experimental work, we looked for evidence that allelopathy may explain the initiation of algal blooms. With few exceptions, allelopathic effects were only significant at very high cell densities typical of blooms. We conclude that there is no experimental support for allelopathy at prebloom densities, throwing doubts on allelopathy as a mechanism in bloom formation. Most studies tested allelopathy using cell-free manipulations. With simple models we show that cell-free manipulations may underestimate allelopathy at low cell densities if effects are transmitted during cell–cell interactions. However, we suggest that the evolution of allelopathy under field conditions may be unlikely even if based on cell–cell interactions. The spatial dispersion of cells in turbulent flow will make it difficult for an allelopathic cell to receive an exclusive benefit, and a dispersion model shows that dividing cells are rapidly separated constraining clone selection. Instead, we propose that reported allelopathic effects may be nonadaptive side effects of predator–prey or casual parasitic cell–cell interactions.
The bactericidal effect of a complement-independent antibody is osmolytic and specific toBorrelia
Authors: LaRocca Timothy J. , Holthausen David J. , Hsieh Chyongere , Renken Christian , Mannella Carmen A. , Benach Jorge L.
Published: June 2009

A complement-independent bactericidal IgG1 against the OspB ofBorrelia burgdorferiincreased the permeability of the outer membrane through the creation of openings of 2.8 – 4.4 nm, resulting in its osmotic lysis. Cryo-electron microscopy and tomography demonstrated that exposure to the antibody causes the formation of outer membrane projections and large breaks which may precede the increase in permeability of the outer membrane. The bactericidal effect of this antibody is not transferable toEscherichia coliexpressing rOspB on its outer membrane. Additionally, the porin P66, the only protein that coprecipitated with OspB, is dispensable for the bactericidal mechanism.
Dynamics of a vesicle in general flow
Authors: Deschamps J. , Kantsler V. , Segre E. , Steinberg V.
Published: June 2009

An approach to quantitatively study vesicle dynamics as well as biologically-related micro-objects in a fluid flow, which is based on the combination of a dynamical trap and a control parameter, the ratio of the vorticity to the strain rate, is suggested. The flow is continuously varied between rotational, shearing, and elongational in a microfluidic 4-roll mill device, the dynamical trap, that allows scanning of the entire phase diagram of motions, i.e., tank-treading (TT), tumbling (TU), and trembling (TR), using a single vesicle even at λ = η
in
/η
out
= 1, where η
in
and η
out
are the viscosities of the inner and outer fluids. This cannot be achieved in pure shear flow, where the transition between TT and either TU or TR is attained only at λ>1. As a result, it is found that the vesicle dynamical states in a general are presented by the phase diagram in a space of only 2 dimensionless control parameters. The findings are in semiquantitative accord with the recent theory made for a quasi-spherical vesicle, although vesicles with large deviations from spherical shape were studied experimentally. The physics of TR is also uncovered.
Baseline brain energy supports the state of consciousness
Authors: Shulman Robert G. , Hyder Fahmeed , Rothman Douglas L.
Published: June 2009

An individual, human or animal, is defined to be in a conscious state empirically by the behavioral ability to respond meaningfully to stimuli, whereas the loss of consciousness is defined by unresponsiveness. PET measurements of glucose or oxygen consumption show a widespread ≈45% reduction in cerebral energy consumption with anesthesia-induced loss of consciousness. Because baseline brain energy consumption has been shown by
13
C magnetic resonance spectroscopy to be almost exclusively dedicated to neuronal signaling, we propose that the high level of brain energy is a necessary property of the conscious state. Two additional neuronal properties of the conscious state change with anesthesia. The delocalized fMRI activity patterns in rat brain during sensory stimulation at a higher energy state (close to the awake) collapse to a contralateral somatosensory response at lower energy state (deep anesthesia). Firing rates of an ensemble of neurons in the rat somatosensory cortex shift from the γ-band range (20–40 Hz) at higher energy state to <10 Hz at lower energy state. With the conscious state defined by the individual's behavior and maintained by high cerebral energy, measurable properties of that state are the widespread fMRI patterns and high frequency neuronal activity, both of which support the extensive interregional communication characteristic of consciousness. This usage of high brain energies when the person is in the “state” of consciousness differs from most studies, which attend the smaller energy increments observed during the stimulations that form the “contents” of that state.
Exocyst is involved in polarized cell migration and cerebral cortical development
Authors: Letinic Kresimir , Sebastian Rafael , Toomre Derek , Rakic Pasko
Published: June 2009

Neuronal migration is essential for proper development of the cerebral cortex. As a first step, a postmitotic cell extends its leading process, presumably by adding new membrane at the growing tip, which would enable directed locomotion. The goal of the present study was to determine if biosynthetic exocytic pathway is polarized in migrating cells and whether polarized exocytosis promotes directed cell migration. A promising candidate for controlling the spatial sites of vesicle tethering and fusion at the plasma membrane is a protein complex called the exocyst. We found that cell migration in a wound assay, as well as cortical neuronal migration during embryonic development was impaired when the exocyst was disturbed. By combining TIRF microscopy and a stochastic model of exocytosis, we found that vesicle exocytosis is preferentially distributed close to the leading edge of polarized cells, that the exocytic process is organized into hotspots, and that the polarized delivery of vesicles and their clustering in hotspots depend on the intact exocyst complex. The exocyst complex seems to achieve this spatial regulation by determining the sites at the membrane where secretory vesicles tether. Thus, our study supports the notion that polarized membrane traffic regulated by the exocyst is an essential component of cell migration and that its deficit may lead to cortical abnormalities involving cortical neuronal malpositioning.
Reliable neuromodulation from circuits with variable underlying structure
Authors: Grashow Rachel , Brookings Ted , Marder Eve
Published: June 2009

Recent work argues that similar network performance can result from highly variable sets of network parameters, raising the question of whether neuromodulation can be reliable across individuals with networks with different sets of synaptic strengths and intrinsic membrane conductances. To address this question, we used the dynamic clamp to construct 2-cell reciprocally inhibitory networks from gastric mill (GM) neurons of the crab stomatogastric ganglion. When the strength of the artificial inhibitory synapses (
g
syn
) and the conductance of an artificial
I
h
(
g
h
) were varied with the dynamic clamp, a variety of network behaviors resulted, including regions of stable alternating bursting. Maps of network output as a function of
g
syn
and
g
h
were constructed in normal saline and again in the presence of serotonin or oxotremorine. Both serotonin and oxotremorine depolarize and excite isolated individual GM neurons, but by different cellular mechanisms. Serotonin and oxotremorine each increased the size of the parameter regions that supported alternating bursting, and, on average, increased burst frequency. Nonetheless, in both cases some parameter sets within the sample space deviated from the mean population response and decreased in frequency. These data provide insight into why pharmacological treatments that work in most individuals can generate anomalous actions in a few individuals, and they have implications for understanding the evolution of nervous systems.
The Asian typology of English
Authors: Ansaldo Umberto
Published: June 2009

This paper looks at the emergence of Asian English varieties in terms of the evolution of new grammatical features. I propose that, in order to reach a thorough understanding of how the unique combination of grammatical features that define specific Asian Englishes come about, we must approach these features from a typological and evolutionary perspective which allows us to contrast them not only with Standard English varieties but also with the Asian languages with which these come into contact. As restructured vernaculars, Asian English varieties are de facto contact languages, and, as such, evolve as a consequence of selection of features from a multilingual pool. In this pool, features of Asian varieties play a significant role in determining the output grammar and must therefore be appreciated in their own right. In order to illustrate these points, I introduce an evolutionary view of contact language formation, and I present a set of features typical of Singlish, which are all instances of replication of Asian, not English, features
Aspects of the morphosyntactic typology of Hong Kong English
Authors: Gisborne Nikolas
Published: June 2009

English and Cantonese are the main two languages in contact in Hong Kong, together with some other minority Sinitic languages and a variety of Austronesian languages spoken by domestic helpers. Cantonese and English are typologically dissimilar in terms of word order, tense, mood and aspect marking, noun phrase structure, relative clause formation, the formation of interrogatives, and argument structure. Yet there is no work which systematically explores how these morphosyntactic typological differences are revealed in Hong Kong English (HKE). This paper explores how a typological perspective facilitates an analysis of the expression of finiteness in HKE, a significant feature because it subsumes a number of other typological facts. The analysis claims that HKE is a new English variety where the typology of the substrate is more directly responsible for the morphosyntactic features under analysis than the typology of the lexifier
Thai English
Authors: Sarmah Priyankoo , Gogoi Divya Verma , Wiltshire Caroline R.
Published: June 2009

We explore two aspects of English spoken by native speakers of Thai: rhythm and the vowel system, and compare each to the substrate language Thai, to target varieties of English, and to two New Englishes in Asia. Data was collected from a group of Thai speakers who participated in an interview in English, and who read a Thai paragraph, and English words, sentences and a paragraph. For rhythm, we measured the “Pairwise Variability Index” (nPVI, Grabe and Low 2002) and the proportion of time in an utterance devoted to vowels (%V, Ramus, Nespor and Mehler 1999) of Thai read speech, and English spontaneous and read speech. We find that the English of Thai speakers had stress-timed values of high nPVI, like Thai and British English (BrE), and low %V, like BrE but not Thai. Neither measure of rhythm resembled New Englishes’ more syllable-timed lower nPVI and high %V. The vowel system of Thai English revealed transfers of both quality and quantity from the substrate, resulting in a system distinct from British, American, and New Englishes.
Revisiting English prosody
Authors: Lim Lisa
Published: June 2009

Many New Englishes are spoken in what can often be considered multilingual contexts in which typologically diverse languages come into contact. In several Asian contexts, one typological feature that is prominent in the multilingual contact situation (the “ecology”) is tone. Given that tone is recognized as an areal feature and is acquired easily by languages in contact, the question that arises is how this is manifested in the prosody of these New Englishes. Recent work has shown that contact languages, including English varieties, evolving in an ecology where tone languages are present do indeed combine aspects of tone languages. This paper attempts to go a step further, in suggesting not only that such varieties should not be viewed as aberrant in comparison to “standard” English but recognized as having their own prosodic system partly due to substrate typology, but also that in the consideration of New Englishes — here, Asian (but also African) Englishes — the traditional view of English as a stress / intonation language need to be revisited and revised, to consider some New Englishes as tone languages. Singapore English (SgE) is presented as a case in point, with the presence of tone demonstrated in the set of SgE particles acquired from Cantonese, at the level of the word, as well as in the intonation contour which moves in a series of level steps. A comparison is then made with Hong Kong English, another New English in a tone-language-dominant ecology, with a consideration of typological comparability as well as difference due to the dynamic nature of SgE’s ecology.
Gesture and signs through history
Authors: Delaporte Yves , Shaw Emily
Published: June 2009

One group of signs in French Sign Language (LSF) is described in the Dictionnaire des sourds-muets at the end of the 18th century as having in common the form of a cross, placed in front of the face. All of these signs have negative connotations. We identify the etymon of the signs as an emblematic gesture of hostility used by hearing people since the 15th century. Inherited from the hearing milieu, the gesture evolved into an important lexical family in use by the deaf in both LSF and its sister language, American Sign Language (ASL). At each step in the gesture’s evolution, two conceptual mechanisms explain changes in both form and meaning: economy of articulation and metaphorical abstraction. We show that latent meanings have been invested in the signs’ handshapes, placements, and movements, all of which were inherited from gestures of the hearing world.
The communicative import of gestures
Authors: Mol Lisette , Krahmer Emiel , Maes Fons , Swerts Marc
Published: June 2009

Does gesturing primarily serve speaker internal purposes, or does it mostly facilitate communication, for example by conveying semantic content, or easing social interaction? To address this question, we asked native speakers of Dutch to retell an animated cartoon to a presumed audiovisual summarizer, a presumed addressee in another room (through web cam), or an addressee in the same room, who could either see them and be seen by them or not. We found that participants produced the least number of gestures when talking to the presumed summarizer. In addition, they produced a smaller proportion of large gestures and almost no pointing gestures. Two perception experiments revealed that observers are sensitive to this difference in gesturing. We conclude that gesture production is not a fully automated speech facilitation process, and that it can convey information about the communicative setting a speaker is in.
A few Frequently Asked Questions about semantic — or evaluative — prosody
Authors: Morley John , Partington Alan
Published: June 2009

To say that there has been a certain amount of confusion and debate over the nature and function of the notion of semantic prosody would be an understatement. In this paper we attempt to address and assess, in the light of current thinking in the field of lexical grammar, some of the main issues which have been raised.
The 385+ million word Corpus of Contemporary American English (1990–2008+)
Authors: Davies Mark
Published: June 2009

The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), which was released online in early 2008, is the first large and diverse corpus of American English. In this paper, we first discuss the design of the corpus — which contains more than 385 million words from 1990–2008 (20 million words each year), balanced between spoken, fiction, popular magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. We also discuss the unique relational databases architecture, which allows for a wide range of queries that are not available (or are quite difficult) with other architectures and interfaces. To conclude, we consider insights from the corpus on a number of cases of genre-based variation and recent linguistic variation, including an extended analysis of phrasal verbs in contemporary American English.
Modal verbs in TIME
Authors: Millar Neil
Published: June 2009

Between the 1960’s and 1990’s the frequency of modal verbs in the Brown family of corpora fell substantially, a decline which Leech (2003: 96) suggests is indicative of a more “general and long lasting trend”. Taking Leech’s study as a starting point, this paper investigates twentieth century changes in modal verbs using the new and relatively unexplored TIME Magazine Corpus. Results show that while certain modal verbs have fallen in frequency, the overall pattern is one of growth. These changes may be accounted for by the increase of semi-modal verbs and shifts in usage. Results appear to lend support to the explanatory hypotheses of colloquialization, democratization and stylistic change. Investigation of discrepancies between results from the TIME Corpus and the Brown corpora yields important methodological implications. In particular, as a result of sampling variation, a diachronic comparison based on two data points may present an inaccurate picture of the overall trend.
On indefinite subjects of pivot verbs in Malay
Authors: Nomoto Hiroki
Published: June 2009

Indefinite subjects of so-called pivot verbs in Malay can appear on either side of the verb. This paper discusses the following two tendencies concerning their behaviour: (i) the longer the subject is, the more likely it is to occur after the verb; (ii) in adverbial clauses the preferred word order is VS rather than SV. Both of these points are supported by quantitative evidence from a corpus of front-page articles of the daily newspaper Utusan Malaysia. The paper also proposes an explanation for these tendencies by using the functional notion of ‘topic’ and the mechanism of competition. Specifically, tendencies (i) and (ii) above are claimed to result from the competition between the topicality and heaviness of the subject NP, and from the Constraint on ‘Topic-over-Topic’ Configuration (COTC) respectively. The proposed model with competition and COTC is applicable to other phenomena in Malay (apparent violations of the Definiteness Restriction) and other languages (restricted occurrence of the topic marker in some subordinate clauses in Japanese) as well.
Terminology and terminography for architecture and building construction
Authors: Fernández Trinidad , Colina María Aurora Flórez de la , Peters Pam
Published: June 2009

Teaching terminology is a strategic response to the European Educational Convergence guidelines, taken by the Polytechnic University of Madrid. It is vested in a new course “English Terminology for Architecture and Building Construction” offered in the “Master of Techniques and Systems of Construction”. The course is interdisciplinary, integrating material from the various sciences involved in architectural practice and exploring it through the discipline of applied linguistics, as recommended by Cabré (2003). The approach is bilingualized, working with Spanish architecture professionals in the medium of English. Students are made aware of the dynamic nature of terminology through corpus-building, and given first-hand experience of terminography through compiling their own bilingualized1 termbanks of English architectural terms. A model online termbank system (TermFinder), which is being co-developed for architecture and building construction after successful testing in other professional fields, is also discussed
Comment mettre la main à la pâte en terminologie
Authors: Depierre Amélie
Published: June 2009

In English this paper could be entitled Hands on Terminology. It outlines an active and creative method for guiding students’ first steps in applied medical terminology through corpora-based project work on a chosen body part, such as brain, heart, skin, tonsil, etc. Specialised corpora in English and French are purpose-built by the students and analysed with WordSmith Tools. Morphemic analyses are carried out including remarks on etymology and synonyms, then meronomies, taxonomies, disease fact files and bilingual glossary files are created. This method has been used at master’s level since 2001 : it gives excellent results with self-motivated students capable of taking initiative
Better integration for better preparation
Authors: Bowker Lynne , Marshman Elizabeth
Published: June 2009

Teaching terminology is not only a goal in itself, but also an important part of teaching translation, and terminology tools are essential to teaching terminology effectively. However, electronic tools for translators and terminologists have often been relegated to a small number of courses within translation programs, preventing students from fully and realistically appreciating and evaluating their usefulness. This article presents some of the reasons why this has been the case, and proposes some potential solutions to the problem, including the creation of the Collection of Electronic Resources in Translation Technologies (CERTT), a centralized bank of resources to aid in the teaching of terminology and translation tools. We present the idea behind CERTT, as well as its contents, design and philosophy
Terminological competence in translation
Authors: Montero Martínez Silvia , Benítez Pamela Faber
Published: June 2009

A Terminology course for Translation students must deal with the role of terminology in the translation process from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The objective of such a course is not to train translators as terminologists or documentation professionals, but rather as language mediators whose job is to facilitate interlinguistic communication. Translation students should thus learn how to carry out descriptive terminological work oriented towards producing a suitable target text. This means developing specific strategies as well as learning how to use available resources with a view to producing optimal translations. In this context, a truly effective Terminology course program must be adapted to fit new professional profiles. Such a program would target terminology management against the backdrop of specialized language translation. The specific characteristics of the translation process are what determine the type of terminological competence required.
Applying terminology knowledge to translation
Authors: Sánchez-Gijón Pilar , Aguilar-Amat Anna , Mesa-Lao Bartolomé , Solé Marta Pahisa
Published: June 2009

Teaching activities in the field of Translation Studies should reflect the changes that have been taking place in recent years within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). One of the main changes brought about has been to make students active participants in their learning processes. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a method of instruction that encourages students to “learn-to-learn” by working cooperatively in groups to find solutions to real-world problems. Using PBL methods, translation students can develop the problem-solving skills necessary to meet the challenges posed by terminology work in their day-to-day activities as professional translators. This paper illustrates how terminology courses may be adapted to current European higher education requirements using PBL methodology.
Abnormal uterine artery Doppler in pregnancies suspected of a SGA fetus is related to increased risk of recurrence during next pregnancy
Authors: SAEMUNDSSON YMIR , SVANTESSON HENRIK , GUDMUNDSSON SAEMUNDUR
Published: June 2009

Objective. To investigate if placental Doppler velocimetry can predict the recurrence of a small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) fetus in subsequent pregnancies. Design. Retrospective study. Setting. City cohort over 15 years attending a university hospital. Methods. A total of 196 pregnancies suspected of a SGA fetus (<3rd percentile) evaluated by uterine and umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry. Blood velocity waveform was analyzed for pulsatility index (PI) as well as the uterine artery waveform for notching in early diastole. Main outcome measure. The occurrence of a SGA newborn during the succeeding pregnancy by Doppler results from the previous pregnancy. Results. In the group of 196 pregnancies suspected for SGA, 27 (13.8%) delivered a SGA newborn in the following pregnancy. Thirty‐seven (18.9%) of the 196 had an abnormally high PI in the uterine arteries in their first pregnancy, 12 (32.4%) of these delivered a SGA child in the next pregnancy (relative risk 3.44, p<0.001). The corresponding figure for those with normal uterine artery PI was 15 (9.4%). Abnormal umbilical artery Doppler was a worse predictor of recurrence of SGA (p = 0.051). Uterine artery notching was not related to a SGA newborn during next pregnancy. Conclusion. The results suggest that abnormal uterine artery Doppler is related to increased risk of recurrence of SGA during the next pregnancy. This knowledge might provide the clinician with an opportunity to initiate preventive treatment and increase surveillance to women at risk during succeeding pregnancy.
The First Great Patriotic War: Spanish Communists and Nationalism, 1936–1939*
Authors: Núñez Xosé-Manoel , Faraldo José M.
Published: June 2009

A small advertisement in the first issue ofEspaña Popular, a weekly journal begun in February 1940 and edited by Spanish communists in exile, announced that it would be publishing chapters ofThe Terror of 1824.This 1877 novel by Benito Pérez Galdós (1843–1920) was part of the second series of hisNational Episodesand served as a literary standard for reinforcing the master narrative of Spanish liberal nationalism at the turn of the century. Spanish communists consideredThe Terror of 1824a representative work of common patriotic heritage that should be preserved and publicized among their followers. Built around the absolutist repression of liberals after the anti-Napoleonic War in Spain, the novel was given an updated political meaning. An implicit parallel was traced between the fate of nineteenth-century liberals and the recent exile of Spanish communists, with the former cast as the progressive forerunners of the twentieth-century freedom fighters in Spain. This was coherent with the Republican and socialist interpretation of the Spanish history of that period.
The National Discourse of the Bulgarian Communist Party on National Anniversaries and Commemorations (1944–1948)
Authors: Sygkelos Yannis
Published: June 2009

During the early post-war years (1944–1948), the newly established communist regimes in Eastern Europe followed the Soviet example. They honoured figures and events from their respective national pasts, and celebrated holidays dedicated to anti-fascist resistance and popular uprisings, which they presented as forerunners of the new, bright and prosperous “democratic” era. Hungarian communists celebrated 15 March and commemorated 6 October, both recalling the national struggle for independence in 1848; they celebrated a martyr cult of fallen communists presented as national heroes, and “nationalized” socialist holidays, such as May Day. In the centenary of 1848 they linked national with social demands. In the “struggle for the soul of the nation,” Czech communists also extensively celebrated anniversaries and centenaries, especially in 1948, which saw the 600th anniversary of the founding of Prague's Charles University, the 100th anniversaries of the first All-Slav Congress (held in Prague) and the revolution of 1848, the 30th anniversary of the founding of an independent Czechoslovakia, and the 10th anniversary of the Munich Accords. National holidays related to anti-fascist resistance movements were celebrated in Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia; dates related to the overthrow of fascism, implying the transition to the new era, were celebrated in Romania, Albania, and Bulgaria.
Nationalism as a Heavy Mortgage: SED Cadres Actions between Demand and Reality*
Authors: Kiepe Jan
Published: June 2009

In May 1951, students at the District Party School of the Socialist Union Party of Germany (SED) in the southern Thuringian city of Suhl evaluated the agitation and propaganda assignments that they had recently completed. Such assignments were a regular exercise in the instruction of future cadres. From these discussions, the difficulties that traditional German nationalism posed to the SED become clear. One student cited words of a party comrade he had talked to on the question of befriending the Polish and the Czechoslovak peoples. Instead of sticking to the official ideological line that rejected chauvinist ideas, this comrade had responded: “[…] I will never make friends with the Czech people. To me they are not human beings.” This anger directed against the Czechs by a German communist may have arisen from the frequently brutal deportation of Germans from Czechoslovakia after 1945: the Czechs had not made exceptions for German anti-fascists. It could also be explained by continued anti-Slav sentiment dating from the Nazi years. The file does not elaborate how the incident was resolved. Nevertheless, it demonstrates that nationalist sentiments had survived the collapse of Nazism even with members of the SED. How did the SED counter this heavy national mortgage?
The Role of Portugal on the Stage of Imperialism: Communism, Nationalism and Colonialism (1930–1960)
Authors: Neves José
Published: June 2009

At the beginning of the 1930s, Portuguese political elites were committed to the recovery of the “lost glory” of the era of the so-called Portuguese Discoveries, a past age which was (and still is) often considered as the golden period of Portuguese history. The new Portuguese political regime, an outcome of a right-wing militarycoup d'etatin 1926, and its opposition on the left were united in arguing in favour of a Portuguese Empire. In 1934, during Portugal's I Exposição Colonial (1st Colonial Expo), the oppositionist newspaperO Diabofrequently praised the Portuguese Empire, setting the tone for the rest of the decade. In the second half of the 1930s, the glorification of the Empire by oppositionists became even more prominent, as exemplified by Portugal's Frente Popular's (Popular Front) programme, a political document that was the result of a convergence between Portuguese communists, socialists and republicans. Written in 1936, the programme is critical of “colonial imperialism's policy,” but not really of colonialism in general. According to Frente Popular, colonialism was morally acceptable because it can aid “other less civilized peoples, so that they can gradually join international life, until they reach the final stage of their complete autonomy.”
East German Music and the Problem of National Identity
Authors: Silverberg Laura
Published: June 2009

Caught between political allegiance to the Soviet Union and a shared history with West Germany, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) occupied an awkward position in Cold War Europe. While other countries in the Eastern Bloc already existed as nation-states before coming under Soviet control, the GDR was the product of Germany's arbitrary division. There was no specifically East German culture in 1945—only a German culture. When it came to matters of national identity, officials in the GDR's ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED) could not posit a unique quality of “East Germanness,” but could only highlight East Germany's difference from its western neighbor. This difference did not stem from the language and culture of the past, but the politics and ideology of the present: East Germany was socialist Germany.