bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Succinylation of Non‐ionic Surfactants: Physicochemical Characterization, Functional Properties, Biodegradability and Mathematical Modeling of the Polarity Tuning
Authors: Agach Mickaël , Moity Laurianne , Renault Benjamin , Marinkovic Sinisa , Estrine Boris , Nardello‐Rataj Véronique
Published: November 2013

Anionic surfactants comprising succinic acid end groups were synthesized by succinylation of non‐ionic surfactants using succinic anhydride as a potentially bio‐sourced building block. A solvent‐ and catalyst‐free synthesis was designed for succinic anhydride mono esterification with octyl‐, decyl and dodecylpolyxylosides, di‐ and tetraethylene glycol dodecylethers and glycerol monolaurate. The physicochemical and functional properties of anionic surfactants thus obtained were studied and compared with their non‐succinylated counterparts. A correlation between these properties and the polarity changes induced by the addition of the hydrophilic succinic acid moiety was established. The biodegradability of the succinylated surfactants has also been investigated. Finally, through a desirability function approach, mathematic predictions were correlated to the properties in order to find an optimum and to discriminate surfactants with respect to targeted physicochemical properties and resulting applications.
Cationic Gemini Surfactant as a Corrosion Inhibitor and a Biocide for High Salinity Sulfidogenic Bacteria Originating from an Oil‐Field Water Tank
Authors: Labena Ahmed , Hegazy Mohamed A. , Horn Harald , Müller Elisabeth
Published: November 2013

A novel cationic gemini surfactant (NCGS) was synthesized and characterized. The inhibitory effect of NCGS was evaluated on the basis of protecting a metal surface from the salinity (5.49 % NaCl) and the activity of environmental sulfidogenic bacteria which originated from an oil‐field water tank. Sulfidogenic bacterial activities were determined based on sulfide production, redox potential, changes in biofilm structures and constituents and metal corrosion rate calculations. At high surfactant concentrations, the sulfide production was completely inhibited as well as a considerable drop in the redox potential was observed in the reactor's bulk phase. A minimum inhibitory concentration of the NCGS was achieved at a concentration of 1 mM. The NCGS showed a high ability to inhibit a biofilm over the metal surface at a concentration of 0.1 mM. The lowest metal corrosion rate was detected at a concentration of 5 mM with a metal corrosion inhibition efficiency of 97 %. In addition the NCGS showed a nonspecific biocidal activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacterial strains.
Political Change and Civil Society Coalitions in Singapore
Authors: Ortmann Stephan
Published: November 2013

In the past few years, a number of civil society coalitions have emerged in the illiberal city-state of Singapore. They are the unintended result of a controlled process of liberalization which was initiated by the government in the 1990s in response to growing demands for participation. In particular, the internet has contributed to a more assertive, independent and better organized civil society, which can be seen as a significant step in the process of political change in the city-state.
Stearic acids atsn-1, 3 positions of TAG are more efficient at limiting fat deposition than palmitic and oleic acids in C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Gouk Shiou-Wah , Cheng Sit-Foon , Ong Augustine Soon-Hock , Chuah Cheng-Hock
Published: November 2013

In the present study, we investigated the effect of long-acyl chain SFA, namely palmitic acid (16 : 0) and stearic acid (18 : 0), atsn-1, 3 positions of TAG on obesity. Throughout the 15 weeks of the experimental period, C57BL/6 mice were fed diets fortified with cocoa butter, sal stearin (SAL), palm mid fraction (PMF) and high-oleic sunflower oil (HOS). Thesn-1, 3 positions were varied by 16 : 0, 18 : 0 and 18 : 1, whilst thesn-2 position was preserved with 18 : 1. The HOS-enriched diet was found to lead to the highest fat deposition. This was in accordance with our previous postulation. Upon normalisation of total fat deposited with food intake to obtain the fat:feed ratio, interestingly, mice fed the SAL-enriched diet exhibited significantly lower visceral fat/feed and total fat/feed compared with those fed the PMF-enriched diet, despite their similarity in SFA–unsaturated fatty acid–SFA profile. That long-chain SFA atsn-1, 3 positions concomitantly with an unsaturated FA at thesn-2 position exert an obesity-reducing effect was further validated. The present study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that SFA of different chain lengths atsn-1, 3 positions exert profound effects on fat accretion.
R&D Spillover Effects and Firm Performance Following R&D Increases
Authors: Chen Sheng-Syan , Chen Yan-Shing , Liang Woan-lih , Wang Yanzhi
Published: November 2013

We examine how research and development (R&D) incoming spillovers affect long-run firm performance following firms’ R&D increases. We use a stochastic frontier production method to capture R&D incoming spillover effects. Firms reaping more benefits from R&D investment made by other firms experience more improvement in profitability and more favorable long-run stock performance in the post-R&D-increase period. Firms with higher levels of R&D incoming spillovers recruit more key employees from other firms, suggesting that obtaining know-how through hiring is an important source of incoming spillovers. The evidence also shows that firms experiencing more R&D outgoing spillover effects tend to underinvest in R&D.
Differential responses of a benthic meiofaunal community to an artificial oil spill in the intertidal zone
Authors: Kang Teawook , Min Won-Gi , Rho Hyun Soo , Park Heung-Sik , Kim Dongsung
Published: November 2013

This study aimed to determine the potential impact of an oil spill on intertidal meiofauna at a clean, sandy beach in Korea. This objective was accomplished by examining changes in the structure of meiofaunal assemblages after a controlled oil spill of different concentrations on the beach. The concentration of total petroleum hydrocabon (TPH) in the experimental plots after oil application was expectedly higher for the first 4 d compared to before oil application. The TPH concentrations decreased at a faster rate in the first 4 d, and then progressively. The sharp decline in meiofaunal density in the experimental plots during the first 4 d after the spill might be attributed to the short-term toxic effects of the oil. This suggestion is supported by a significant negative interaction of the TPH on meiofaunal density during the study period. The period of low density of meiofauna also coincided with the maximum concentration of TPH in the sediment. The multivariate indices proved to be highly efficient, showing that samples contaminated with oil had high TPH concentrations, and were partially separated in terms of meiofaunal communities from samples before oil application or samples with low TPH concentrations. The structure of the meiofaunal communities in the experimental plots was similar before and 1 month after oil application. However, the density of meiofauna sharply decreased immediately after oil application in the experiment plots. Furthermore, the meiofaunal density recovered slowly as time passed.
Exploring causal pathways of child behavior and maternal mental health in families with a child with congenital heart disease: a longitudinal study
Authors: Landolt M. A. , Ystrom E. , Stene-Larsen K. , Holmstrøm H. , Vollrath M. E.
Published: November 2013

Background.

A congenital heart defect (CHD) can increase the risk of mental health problems in affected children and their parents. The extent to which risk factors for these problems are shared in families or are specific to the individual family member is unclear.

Method.

Prospective data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa; n = 93 009) were linked with a nationwide CHD registry, and 408 children with CHD were identified. Mothers' reports on child internalizing problems and their own distress were assessed by questionnaires at child ages 6, 18 and 36 months. A structural model was applied to distinguish between familial (shared) factors and individual-specific factors for mental health problems.

Results.

CHD was a substantial risk factor for problems in children and their mothers at all time points. CHD contributed on average 31% and 39% to the variance in children's and mothers' problems respectively. Both shared familial and individual-specific factors unique to CHD families contributed to risk for mental health problems. Whereas individual-specific risk factors contributed to the stability of problems in mothers, the effect of these factors lasted only a short time in children. Mutual influences over time were found between the mother's and the child's mental health at 18 and 36 months.

Conclusions.

The burden of CHD in a child is shared between family members but is also specific to the individual. This study points to a need for both an individual and a family-based approach to provide psychological support to children with CHD and their parents.
Ageing and the Galenic tradition: a brief overview
Authors: GILLEARD CHRIS
Published: November 2013

Ageing and longevity have been central to the concerns of Western natural philosophy since their origins in Classical Greece. Greek medicine formulated the idea that the humours constituted the physiological basis of all living beings. Hippocrates identified these as blood, phlegm, black and yellow bile. Several hundred years later, Galen elaborated this Hippocratic doctrine, formulating the outlines of a theory of ageing and a regime to maintain health in old age. Formalised in Alexandria, the Galenic canon was later revised and expanded by physicians and philosophers from the Islamic world. The result was a theoretical superstructure linking together the humours, the elements (air, earth, fire and water) and the four qualities (heat, coldness, moisture and dryness) that constituted the basis of life, its development, decline and end. This ‘superstructure’ was further refined and revised during the Middle Ages, providing the theoretical basis for regimes for living well in later life that were written and published during the Renaissance. Although the ‘scientific revolution’ of the 17th century challenged Galenic medicine, many aspects of it survived into the modern period. This paper reviews the rise and demise of this tradition while also recognising that through much of this period other, more controversial approaches to the problems of ageing were espoused. In concluding, continuing points of contact with contemporary gerontological theory are emphasised.
ACT-R-typed human–robot collaboration mechanism for elderly and disabled assistance
Authors: Xu Shuo , Tu Dawei , He Yongyi , Tan Shili , Fang Minglun
Published: November 2013

This work aims to propose an innovative mechanism of human–robot collaboration (HRC) for mobile service robots in the application of elderly and disabled assistance. Previous studies on HRC mechanism usually focused on integrating decision-making intelligence of human beings by qualitative judgment and reasoning intelligence of robots by quantitative calculation. Instead, novelties of the proposed methodology include (1) constructing an HRC framework by taking reference from the Adaptive Control of Thought – Rational (ACT-R) human cognitive architecture; (2) establishing semantic webs of cognitive reasoning through human–robot interaction (HRI) and HRC to plan and implement complex tasks; and (3) realizing human–robot intelligence fusion by mutual encouragement, connect, and integration of modules of human, robot, perception, HRI, and HRC in the ACT-R architecture. Its technical feasibility is validated by some selected experiments within a “pouring” scenario. Further, although this study is oriented to mobile service robots, the modularized design of hardware and software makes its extensive use feasible in other types of service robots like smart rehabilitation beds, wheelchairs, and cleaning equipments.
MARTINGALE LIMIT THEOREM REVISITED AND NONLINEAR COINTEGRATING REGRESSION
Authors: Wang Qiying
Published: November 2013

For a certain class of martingales, convergence to a mixture of normal distributions is established under convergence in distribution for the conditional variance. This is less restrictive in comparison with the classical martingale limit theorem, where one generally requires convergence in probability. The extension partially removes a barrier in the applications of the classical martingale limit theorem to nonparametric estimation and inference with nonstationarity and enhances the effectiveness of the classical martingale limit theorem as one of the main tools to investigate asymptotics in statistics, econometrics, and other fields. The main result is applied to investigate limit behavior of the conventional kernel estimator in a nonlinear cointegrating regression model, which improves existing works in the literature.
AN INTEGRATED KERNEL-WEIGHTED SMOOTHED MAXIMUM SCORE ESTIMATOR FOR THE PARTIALLY LINEAR BINARY RESPONSE MODEL
Authors: Krief Jerome M.
Published: November 2013

This paper considers a binary response model with a partially linear latent equation, where ϕ is an unknown function and β is a finite-dimensional parameter of interest. Using the principle of smoothed maximum score estimation (Horowitz, 1992; Econometrica 60(3), 505–531), a consistent and asymptotically normal (C.A.N.)estimator for β is proposed under the restriction that the median of the error conditional on the covariates is equal to 0. Furthermore, the rate of convergence in probability is close to the parametric rate, if certain functions admit enough derivatives. This method neither restricts the form of heteroskedasticity in the error term nor suffers from the curse of dimensionality whenever ϕ is multivariate. Some Monte Carlo experiments suggest that this estimator performs well compared with conventional estimators.
The Long March to Biliteracy and Trilingualism: Language Policy in Hong Kong Education Since the Handover
Authors: Evans Stephen
Published: November 2013

Since the handover, policymakers in Hong Kong have faced the daunting task of determining the educational roles of two major international languages (Putonghuaand English), as well as a vibrant local language (Cantonese), which is the mother tongue of around 90% of the city's predominantly Chinese population. Their response to this unprecedented challenge has been to set the ambitious goal of developing students’ ability to read and write Chinese and English and to speak Cantonese,Putonghua, and English. At the same time, however, they are pursuing policies that in some respects run counter to this commendable if ill-defined aim. This article examines the background to and rationale for the promotion of biliteracy and trilingualism and reviews recent research into the government's major language-in-education initiatives since 1997, namely, the adoption of a compulsory mother-tongue policy at junior secondary level, the recent fine-tuning of this controversial policy, and the use ofPutonghuaas the medium of instruction in Chinese subjects at primary and secondary levels.
Linguistic Landscapes in a Multilingual World
Authors: Gorter Durk
Published: November 2013

This article offers an overview of the main developments in the field of linguistic landscape studies. A large number of research projects and publications indicate an increasing interest in applied linguistics in the use of written texts in urban spaces, especially in bilingual and multilingual settings. The article looks into some of the pioneer studies that helped open up this line of research and summarizes some of the studies that created the springboard for its rapid expansion in recent years. The focus is on current research (from 2007 onward), including studies that illustrate main theoretical approaches and methodological development as key issues of the expanding field, in particular when applied in settings of societal multilingualism.

Publications on the linguistic landscape cover a wide range of innovative theoretical and empirical studies that deal with issues related to multilingualism, literacy, multimodality, language policy, linguistic diversity, and minority languages, among others. The article shows some examples of the use of the linguistic landscape as a research tool and a data source to address a number of issues in multilingualism. The article also explores some possible future directions. Overall, the various emerging perspectives in linguistic landscape research can deepen our understanding of languages in urban spaces, language users, and societal multilingualism in general.
Formal Linguistic Approaches to L3/Ln Acquisition: A Focus on Morphosyntactic Transfer in Adult Multilingualism
Authors: Rothman Jason , Halloran Becky
Published: November 2013

The goal of this article is to introduce the reader to contemporary adult multilingual acquisition research within generative linguistics. In much the same way as monolingual and bilingual acquisition studies are approached within this paradigm, generative multilingual research focuses primarily on the psycholinguistic and cognitive aspects of the acquisition process. Herein, we critically present a panoramic view of the research questions and empirical work that have dominated this nascent field, taking the reader through several interrelated epistemological discussions that are at the vanguard of contemporary multilingual morphosyntax work. We finish this article with some thoughts looking towards the near future of adult multilingual acquisition studies.
Current Issues in Multilingual First Language Acquisition
Authors: Unsworth Sharon
Published: November 2013

Multilingual first language acquisition refers to the language development of children exposed to two or more languages from birth or shortly thereafter. Much of the research on this topic adopts a comparative approach. Bilinguals are thus compared with their monolingual peers, and trilinguals with both bilinguals and monolinguals; within children, comparisons are made between a child's two (or more) languages, and between different domains within those languages. The goal of such comparisons is to determine the extent to which language development proceeds along similar paths and/or at a similar rate across groups, languages, and domains, in order to elaborate upon the question of whether these different groups acquire language in the same way, and to evaluate how language development in multilingual settings is influenced by environmental factors. The answers to these questions have both theoretical and practical implications.

The goal of this article is to discuss the results of some of this recent research on multilingual first language acquisition by reviewing (a) properties of the developing linguistic system in a variety of linguistic domains and (b) some of the characteristics of multilingual first language acquisition that have attracted attention over the past five years, including cross-linguistic influence, dominance, and input quantity/quality. Trilingual first language acquisition is covered in a dedicated section.
Multilingualism and Education in South Asia: Resolving Policy/Practice Dilemmas
Authors: Canagarajah Suresh , Ashraf Hina
Published: November 2013

This article focuses on the multilingual educational policies in India and Pakistan in the light of challenges in implementation and everyday communicative practices. The challenges these countries face in the context of the contrasting forces of globalization and nationalism are common to those of the other communities in this region. Both India and Pakistan have adopted versions of a tripartite language formula, in which the dominant national language—Urdu in Pakistan, and Hindi in India—along with a regional language and English are to be taught in primary and secondary schools. Such a policy is aimed at accommodating diverse imperatives, such as providing access to schooling to everyone regardless of their mother tongues, developing national identity through competence in a common language, and tapping into transnational economic resources through English. However, this well-intentioned policy has generated other tensions. There are inadequate resources for teaching all three languages in all regions and social levels. Certain dominant languages enjoy more currency and upset the multilingual balance. Furthermore, as people integrate English into their repertoires in recognition of the better-paid employment opportunities and communication media associated with globalization, language practices are becoming more hybrid. To resolve such tensions between policy and practice, some scholars propose a plurilingual model indigenous to the region. Rather than compartmentalizing languages and demanding equal competencies in each of them, such a model would allow for functional competencies in complementary languages for different purposes and social domains, without neglecting mother-tongue maintenance.
Defining Multilingualism
Authors: Cenoz Jasone
Published: November 2013

This article looks at the definitions and scope of multilingualism and the different perspectives used in its study. Multilingualism is a very common phenomenon that has received much scholarly attention in recent years. Multilingualism is also an interdisciplinary phenomenon that can be studied from both an individual and a societal perspective. In this article, several dimensions of multilingualism are considered, and different types of multilingualism are discussed. The article summarizes the themes researched in various areas of the study of multilingualism such as neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, linguistics, education, sociolinguistics, and language policy. These areas look at language acquisition and language processing as well as the use of different languages in social contexts and adopt a variety of research methodologies. The last section of the article compares monolingual and holistic perspectives in the study of multilingualism, paying special attention to new approaches developed in the past few years that argue for establishing more fluid boundaries between languages.
Multilingualism and the Brain
Authors: Higby Eve , Kim Jungna , Obler Loraine K.
Published: November 2013

Over the last decade, research on multilingualism has grown and has provided researchers with new insights into the mechanisms at work in the multilingual brain. While some studies of multilinguals have shown similar results to what has been seen in studies of bilinguals, certain unique properties of multilinguals are beginning to be noticed, particularly regarding early language representation, gray matter density, and speed of lexical retrieval. In addition, research on cognitive control, language switching, working memory, and certain consequences of multilingualism (advantages and disadvantages) are reviewed in terms of their effects on the brains of bilinguals and multilinguals. Although there is little agreement among papers concerning specific regions that are structurally different in monolinguals and multilinguals, publications do show differences. Similarly, there are studies reporting somewhat different regions called upon for processing a given language in multilinguals compared to monolinguals.
Language Policy and Education: Space and Place in Multilingual Post-Soviet States
Authors: Brown Kara D.
Published: November 2013

This article surveys recent English-language research on language policy and education in the 15 countries that are now two decades removed from Soviet hegemony. I examine how researchers employ geometric concepts such as asymmetry, parallelism, and trajectories to analyze multilingualism in this region. I then discuss the spatial turn in post-Soviet scholarship on language policy and schooling through attention to the ways language is produced in and through place, the management and experience of language in particular places, and the production of place through language and schooling. In conclusion, I argue that states have inherited schools with a Soviet-era commitment to multilingualism, but have been challenged to transform them into new types of post-Soviet plurilingual institutions—ones that generally promote the titular language, create space for instruction in minority languages, and educate in a foreign language. Evidence from these countries also speaks powerfully to the ways teachers, students, and parents use school space in dynamic ways to negotiate community boundaries and cultivate particular national identities through deliberate language practice.
Language Disorders in Multilingual and Multicultural Populations
Authors: Goral Mira , Conner Peggy S.
Published: November 2013

We review the characteristics of developmental language disorders (primary language impairment, reading disorders, autism, Down syndrome) and acquired language disorders (aphasia, dementia, traumatic brain injury) among multilingual and multicultural individuals. We highlight the unique assessment and treatment considerations pertinent to this population, including, for example, concerns of language choice and availability of measures and of normative data in multiple languages. A summary of relevant, recent research studies is provided for each of the language disorders selected.
Distribution and risk factors ofTrichomonas vaginalisinfection in England: an epidemiological study using electronic health records from sexually transmitted infection clinics, 2009–2011
Authors: MITCHELL H. D. , LEWIS D. A. , MARSH K. , HUGHES G.
Published: November 2013

We used data from the Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Activity Dataset (GUMCAD) over a 3-year period (2009–2011) to investigate the distribution and risk factors ofTrichomonas vaginalisinfection in England. Socio-demographic and clinical risk factors associated with a diagnosis ofT. vaginaliswere explored using multivariable logistic regression. Rates ofT. vaginalisinfection were highest in London and the West Midlands. For men and women,T. vaginalisinfection was significantly associated with: older age compared to those aged 20–24 years, non-white ethnicity (in particular black Caribbean and black ‘other’ ethnic groups), and birth in the Caribbeanvs. birth in the UK. Current gonorrhoea or chlamydia infection was associated with a diagnosis ofT. vaginalisin women. Further research is required to assess the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of introducing targeted screening for women at high risk of infection in areas of higher prevalence.
Linear Index Coding via Semidefinite Programming
Authors: CHLAMTÁČ EDEN , HAVIV ISHAY
Published: November 2013

In theindex codingproblem, introduced by Birk and Kol (INFOCOM, 1998), the goal is to broadcast ann-bit word tonreceivers (one bit per receiver), where the receivers haveside informationrepresented by a graphG. The objective is to minimize the length of a codeword sent to all receivers which allows each receiver to learn its bit. Forlinearindex coding, the minimum possible length is known to be equal to a graph parameter calledminrank(Bar-Yossef, Birk, Jayram and Kol,IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, 2011).

We show a polynomial-time algorithm that, given ann-vertex graphGwith minrankk, finds a linear index code forGof lengthÕ(nf(k)), wheref(k) depends only onk. For example, fork= 3 we obtainf(3) ≈ 0.2574. Our algorithm employs a semidefinite program (SDP) introduced by Karger, Motwani and Sudan for graph colouring (J. Assoc. Comput. Mach., 1998) and its refined analysis due to Arora, Chlamtac and Charikar (STOC, 2006). Since the SDP we use is not a relaxation of the minimization problem we consider, a crucial component of our analysis is anupper boundon the objective value of the SDP in terms of the minrank.

At the heart of our analysis lies a combinatorial result which may be of independent interest. Namely, we show an exact expression for the maximum possible value of the Lovász ϑ-function of a graph with minrankk. This yields a tight gap between two classical upper bounds on the Shannon capacity of a graph.
Site Percolation on thed-Dimensional Hamming Torus
Authors: SIVAKOFF DAVID
Published: November 2013

Thed-dimensional Hamming torus is the graph whose vertices are all of the integer points inside ana1n×a2n× ⋅⋅⋅ ×adnbox in$\mathbb{R}^d$(for constantsa1, . . .,ad> 0), and whose edges connect all vertices within Hamming distance one. We study the size of the largest connected component of the subgraph generated by independently removing each vertex of the Hamming torus with probability 1 −p. We show that ifp= λ/n, then there exists λc> 0, which is the positive root of a degreedpolynomial whose coefficients depend ona1, . . .,ad, such that for λ < λcthe largest component hasO(logn) vertices (w.h.p. asn→ ∞), and for λ > λcthe largest component has$(1-q) \lambda \bigl(\prod_i a_i \bigr) n^{d-1} + o (n^{d-1})$vertices and the second largest component hasO(logn) vertices w.h.p. An implicit formula forq< 1 is also given. The value of λcthat we find is distinct from the critical value for the emergence of a giant component in bond percolation on the Hamming torus.
MANAGEMENT OF REDUCED FETAL MOVEMENTS
Authors: HIGGINS L E , JOHNSTONE E D , HEAZELL A E P
Published: November 2013

Reduced fetal movement (RFM) is commonly defined as any reduction in maternal perception of fetal activity. Perceived fetal activity may be movement of limbs, trunk or head movement, but excludes fetal hiccoughs (as this is involuntary movement). The perception of fetal movement by an expectant mother is the first, and ongoing, non-sonographic indicator of fetal viability. The “normal” pattern of fetal movements varies from pregnancy to pregnancy, and often does not become established until 28 weeks’ gestation. Many babies have particularly active periods of the day, usually corresponding to periods of maternal rest and inactivity (which may in itself reflect increased maternal awareness of fetal movement). A variable percentage of sonographically observed fetal movements are perceived by prospective mothers (commonly 30–40%, although some studies report rates as high as 80%).
Comment on G. Herranz: The timing of monozygotic twinning: a criticism of the common model. Zygote (2013)
Authors: Denker Hans-Werner
Published: November 2013

The topic of monozygotic twinning (MT) on which the recent paper by Herranz (Herranz, 2013) focuses is indeed a fascinating one, not only for the embryologist. And, as pointed out by the author, it may on principle also be relevant for ethical discussions in the context of embryo research and stem cell work in humans. Obviously, this is the reason why the paper was published in Zygote, in spite of the fact that it concentrates on history and speculation. When reading through the paper, however, I have ended up disappointed.
The effect of age of L2 acquisition on the organization of the bilingual lexicon: Evidence from masked priming
Authors: SABOURIN LAURA , BRIEN CHRISTIE , BURKHOLDER MICHELE
Published: November 2013

This study investigates the role of age of acquisition (AoA) on the bilingual mental lexicon. Four groups of participants were tested: (i) English native speakers with minimal exposure to French; (ii) late English–French bilinguals; (iii) early English–French bilinguals; and (iv) simultaneous English–French bilinguals. We used a masked priming paradigm to investigate early, automatic lexical processing at the semantic level by testing both a within-language semantic condition and a cross-language translation condition. AoA was investigated both through group effects and a correlation analysis. We found significant translation priming effects for the simultaneous and early bilinguals only, and a significant correlation between AoA and translation priming effects. Due to the matched L2 proficiency of the early and late bilinguals, these results support our hypothesis that an early AoA, regardless of L2 proficiency, is crucial in order to find the L2-to-L1 priming effects that have often been elusive in recent studies.
Is bilingual babbling language-specific? Some evidence from a case study of Spanish–English dual acquisition
Authors: ANDRUSKI JEAN E. , CASIELLES EUGENIA , NATHAN GEOFF
Published: November 2013

This paper contributes to current investigations of the nature of babbling in infants raised bilingually by analyzing the babbling of a child raised in a Spanish–English environment. Examination of syllable structure shows the expected preponderance of open syllables in both language contexts while other phenomena point to important differences dependent on language context. While some of the differences relate to general features of the input languages, others coincide with individual features of the parents’ input. These results offer some evidence of distinct babbling according to language context and suggest a possible influence of the type of input.
A 10-W S-band class-B GaN amplifier with a dynamic gate bias circuit for linearity enhancement
Authors: Medrel Pierre , Martin Audrey , Reveyrand Tibault , Neveux Guillaume , Barataud Denis , Bouysse Philippe , Nébus Jean-Michel , Lapierre Luc , Villemazet Jean-François
Published: November 2013

In the present paper, we present a dynamic gate biasing technique applied to a 10 W, S-band GaN amplifier. The proposed methodology addresses class-B operation of power amplifiers that offers the potential for high efficiency but requires a careful attention to maintain good linearity performances at large output power back-off. This work proposes a solution to improve the linearity of class-B amplifiers driven by radio frequency-modulated signals having large peak to average power ratios. An important aspect of this work concerns the characterization of the dynamic behavior of GaN devices for gate bias trajectory optimization. For that purpose, the experimental study reported here is based on the use of a time-domain envelope setup. A specific gate bias circuit has been designed and connected to a 10 W – 2.5 GHz GaN amplifier demo board from CREE. Compared to conventional class-B operation with a fixed gate bias, a 10-dB improvement in terms of third-order intermodulation is reached. When applied to the amplification of 16-QAM signals the proposed technique demonstrates significant ACPR reduction of order of 6 dB along with error vector magnitude (EVM) improvements of five points over 8 dB output power back-off with a minor impact on power-added efficiency performances.
Optomechanical interface for probing matter-wave coherence
Authors: Xuereb André , Ulbricht Hendrik , Paternostro Mauro
Published: November 2013

We combine matter-wave interferometry and cavity optomechanics to propose a coherent matter–light interface based on mechanical motion at the quantum level. We demonstrate a mechanism that is able to transfer non-classical features imprinted on the state of a matter-wave system to an optomechanical device, transducing them into distinctive interference fringes. This provides a reliable tool for the inference of quantum coherence in the particle beam. Moreover, we discuss how our system allows for intriguing perspectives, paving the way to the construction of a device for the encoding of quantum information in matter-wave systems. Our proposal, which highlights previously unforeseen possibilities for the synergistic exploitation of these two experimental platforms, is explicitly based on existing technology, available and widely used in current cutting-edge experiments.
A stable, mononuclear, cationic Pt(iii) complex stabilised by bulky N-heterocyclic carbenes
Authors: Rivada-Wheelaghan Orestes , Ortuño Manuel A. , García-Garrido Sergio E. , Díez Josefina , Alonso Pablo J. , Lledós Agustí , Conejero Salvador
Published: November 2013

The thermally stable, mononuclear, paramagnetic Pt(iii) complex [PtI2(IPr)2][BArF] exhibiting a square-planar structure has been isolated and fully characterised.
Rhodamine-based fluorescent off–on sensor for Fe3+ – in aqueous solution and in living cells: 8-aminoquinoline receptor and 2 : 1 binding
Authors: Huang Junhai , Xu Yufang , Qian Xuhong
Published: November 2013

A rhodamine-based Fe3+ sensor of a rigid 8-aminoquinoline receptor shows a 2 : 1 binding according to 1D and 2D-1HNMR experiments.
Light harvesting vesicular donor–acceptor scaffold limits the rate of charge recombination in the presence of an electron donor
Authors: Cheriya Rijo T. , Mallia Ajith R. , Hariharan Mahesh
Published: November 2013

This work highlights the utility of π–π stacked self-assembly for enhanced survival time of charge transfer intermediates upon photoexcitation of donor–acceptor systems.
A different sequence of events than previously reported leads to arsenic-induced damage in Ceratophyllum demersum L.
Authors: Mishra Seema , Stärk Hans-Joachim , Küpper Hendrik
Published: November 2013

Threshold and time course analysis of As toxicity revealed that damage to photosynthetic antenna pigments is most relevant at sublethal toxic As concentrations, while ROS production starts only at lethal concentrations.
Fluorophore incorporation allows nanomolar guest sensing and white-light emission in M4L6 cage complexes
Authors: Neelakandan Prakash P. , Jiménez Azucena , Nitschke Jonathan R.
Published: November 2013

M4L6 cages built from BODIPY- and pyrene-containing subcomponents perform multiple functions: sensing anions and amino acids, and forming a white-light emitting complex with perylene.
Highly enhanced performance of spongy graphene as an oil sorbent
Authors: Bi Hengchang , Xie Xiao , Yin Kuibo , Zhou Yilong , Wan Shu , Ruoff Rodney S. , Sun Litao
Published: November 2013

A brand-new spongy graphene treated with flame soot has a highly enhanced performance as an oil sorbent, which is 616 times of its own weight towards chloroform (8 times higher than the previously reported literature).
A solution-based approach to composite dielectric films of surface functionalized CaCu3Ti4O12 and P(VDF-HFP)
Authors: Ehrhardt Claudia , Fettkenhauer Christian , Glenneberg Jens , Münchgesang Wolfram , Leipner Hartmut S. , Diestelhorst Martin , Lemm Sebastian , Beige Horst , Ebbinghaus Stefan G.
Published: November 2013

Composite thin films of surface functionalized CaCu3Ti4O12 prepared by spin-coating show a fivefold increase of the relative permittivity compared to the pure P(VDF-HFP) polymer.
Chromism of Bi2WO6in single crystal and nanosheet forms
Authors: Pope Timothy R. , Lassig Melissa N. , Neher Gregory , Weimar III Richard D. , Salguero Tina T.
Published: November 2013

Both single crystal Bi2WO6and nanosheets of Bi2WO6derived from a Cs4W11O362−precursor/lateral template are strongly photochromic and also change color upon lithium ion intercalation.
B1 field comparison for RF coils in ultra‐high‐field MRI
Authors: Yoo H. , Lee J. , Akgun C.E. , Gopinath A. , Vaughan J.T.
Published: November 2013

This reported work demonstrates the use of convex optimisation to localise the transverse magnetic B+1 field in regions of interest for recently proposed multi‐sectioned alternating impedance coils and the traditional transmission line coil. An approach based on different axial slices to identical radio frequency (RF) coils except upper stripline structure is investigated. Electromagnetic simulation results are compared for RF coils and discussed in detail at 7.0 T.
Design of broadband Class E power amplifier in continuous operation modes
Authors: Gao Zhong , Liu Chang , Guo Guiliang , Chen Hua , Luo Chao , Han Jingyu , Zhang Lijun , Yan Yuepeng
Published: November 2013

Theoretically, constant output power and high DC‐to‐RF efficiency cannot be simultaneously achieved by a broadband Class E power amplifier (PA) even if the load network could provide the accurate impedance desired at each frequency point. Such a problem is solved with the presented concept of continuous Class E modes. New demands on the load and corresponding load network topology are discussed to provide a theoretical basis. To verify the feasibility, a prototype PA in TSMC 0.18 μm CMOS process is also presented. In the simulation, it exhibits a maximum output power of 18.7 dBm, a power added efficiency of 64–80% and an output power flattening of 0.5 dB in the frequency range from 360 to 610 M (52% of the central frequency). A comparison between it and a broadband parallel Class E PA implemented under the same conditions is also given.
Gain enhanced pattern reconfigurable planar Yagi‐Uda antenna on coplanar structure
Authors: Raman S. , Timmons N. , Morrison J.
Published: November 2013

A gain enhanced planar Yagi‐Uda antenna with pattern reconfiguration is presented. The prototype provides an omnidirectional pattern as well as a high‐gain directive pattern, which can be reconfigured on two orthogonal planes. For the first time, the principle of a Yagi‐Uda antenna combined with pattern reconfiguration is implemented without complexity on a planar prototype. The pattern reconfiguration is achieved by alternately switching the driven and reflector elements of the Yagi‐Uda antenna. The prototype concept was simulated using CST Microwave Studio, fabricated on a substrate of dielectric constant 4.4 and tested using an R&S ZVB8 network analyser. The gain variation with the reflector and director parameters is also analysed and presented.
Hand vein recognition using local block pattern
Authors: Meng Zhaohui , Gu Xiaodong
Published: November 2013

A vein recognition method using the local block pattern is presented. After the phase information of a vein image is extracted by a group of Gabor filters and local XOR pattern operators, the phase coding image is divided into some even non‐overlap blocks. These local block patterns can alleviate the effect of noises and enhance the discriminative power. Each block is divided further into some sub‐blocks, and Fisher's linear discriminant is applied here to reduce the dimensionality of the proposed descriptor and improve the performance at the same time. Finally, these histograms of blocks are concatenated to form the descriptor of the whole vein image. The proposed method is evaluated on the hand vein image database and the HK PolyU's database. The results show that the local block pattern strategy plays a crucial role in the vein recognition method. When the sizes of the block and the sub‐block are right, the method can achieve an error equation rate of 0.88 and 0.13% on the two databases, respectively.
Robust and efficient password authenticated key agreement with user anonymity for session initiation protocol‐based communications
Authors: Zhang Liping , Tang Shanyu , Cai Zhihua
Published: November 2013

A suitable key agreement protocol plays an essential role in protecting the communications over open channels among users using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). This study presents a robust and flexible password authenticated key agreement protocol with user anonymity for session initiation protocol (SIP) used by VoIP communications. Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed protocol enjoys many unique properties, such as user anonymity, no password table, session key agreement, mutual authentication, password updating freely, conveniently revoking lost smartcards and so on. Furthermore, the proposed protocol can resist the replay attack, the impersonation attack, the stolen‐verifier attack, the man‐in‐middle attack, the Denning‐Sacco attack and the offline dictionary attack with or without smartcards. Finally, the performance analysis shows that the protocol is more suitable for practical application in comparison with other related protocols.
Multiple‐source multiple‐destinations relay channels with network coding
Authors: Luo Chunbo , McClean Sally , Parr Gerard , Ren Peng , Gong Yu
Published: November 2013

The essential broadcasting feature of radio propagation channels provides an opportunity for multiple nodes to exchange information and work cooperatively, where each node, for example, mobile sensor or robot, plays both the role of transmitter and receiver. Especially in such machine‐to‐machine communication scenarios, the network performance and redundancy of information from different providers highly affect the work efficiency of each individual node and the whole system. To address these problems, a relay assisted centralised network model with physical layer network coding implemented in the relay is proposed in this study. This structure has the advantage of flexible data exchange and the capability to reduce redundancy in information. Its theoretical performance is analysed by the diversity multiplexing tradeoff, which proves the proposed model is versatile in reliable and high spectral‐efficiency information exchange. Experiments of multiple nodes in a machine‐to‐machine scenario – unmanned aerial vehicles, further reveal its potential in improving efficiency of communication and cooperation.
On the design of relay selection strategy for two‐way amplify‐and‐forward mobile relaying
Authors: Xia Xiaochen , Xu Kui , Ma Wenfeng , Xu Youyun
Published: November 2013

Opportunistic relay selection (RS) is an efficient method to obtain diversity gain in analogue network coding (ANC) protocol with multiple relays. However, in networks with mobile relays, the channel state information (CSI) used in the RS procedure becomes outdated because of the time‐varying nature of fading channels, which severely deteriorates the system performance. In this study, the authors study the RS strategy which aims to optimise the outage performance of the ANC protocol with multiple mobile relays. RS schemes for two different cases are designed, that is, (i) the scheme with only the outdated CSI during the RS procedure, and (ii) the scheme with both the outdated CSI and the statistical knowledge of channels during the RS procedure. The closed‐form expressions of the outage probabilities as well as the asymptotic expressions are analytically derived for the proposed schemes, and moreover, the achievable diversities are analysed based on the asymptotic expressions. Simulation results are presented to evaluate the performances while validate the theoretical analyses for the proposed schemes.
Dynamic downlink aggregation carrier scheduling scheme for wireless networks
Authors: Zheng Kan , Liu Fei , Xiang Wei , Xin Xuemei
Published: November 2013

Carrier aggregation has been accepted as a means of bandwidth extension in the third generation long‐term evolution‐advanced (LTE‐advanced) network, in an effort to support high data rate transmission with backwards compatibility. Since there are two or more component carriers (CCs) to be aggregated, it is crucial to design efficient carrier scheduling schemes. In this study, the authors propose a novel dynamic aggregation carrier (DAC) scheme for downlink transmission, which enables CCs to aggregate with each other in a dynamic manner. The dynamic nature of the new scheme allows the total capacity of all CCs to be fully utilised to serve flows, whereas the number of aggregated supplementary CCs is decreased so as to lower the computational complexity at user equipment (UE). Furthermore, the performances of the new scheme and two other carrier scheduling schemes are evaluated thoroughly through both analytical and simulation results. It is demonstrated that the DAC scheme offers good performances in terms of delay and throughput while reducing energy consumption and the signalling overhead at UEs.