bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The myosin mesa and a possible unifying hypothesis for the molecular basis of human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Spudich James A.
Published: January 2015

No matter how many times one explores the structure of the myosin molecule, there is always something new to discover. Here, I describe the myosin mesa, a structural feature of the motor domain that has the characteristics of a binding domain for another protein, possibly myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C). Interestingly, many well-known hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) mutations lie along this surface and may affect the putative interactions proposed here. A potential unifying hypothesis for the molecular basis of human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is discussed here. It involves increased power output of the cardiac muscle as a result of HCM mutations causing the release of inhibition by myosin binding protein C.
Effect of Speaker Gaze on Word Learning in Fragile X Syndrome: A Comparison With Nonsyndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Benjamin David P. , McDuffie Andrea S. , Thurman Angela J. , Kover Sara T. , Mastergeorge Ann M. , Hagerman Randi J. , Abbeduto Leonard
Published: January 2015

Purpose

This study examined use of a speaker's direction of gaze during word learning by boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS), boys with nonsyndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and typically developing (TD) boys.

Method

A fast-mapping task with follow-in and discrepant labeling conditions was administered. We expected that the use of speaker gaze would lead to participants selecting as the referent of the novel label the object to which they attended in follow-in trials and the object to which the examiner attended in the discrepant labeling trials. Participants were school-aged boys with FXS (
n
= 18) or ASD (
n
= 18) matched on age, intelligence quotient, and nonverbal cognition and younger TD boys (
n
= 18) matched on nonverbal cognition.

Results

All groups performed above chance in both conditions, although the TD boys performed closest to the expected pattern. Boys with FXS performed better during follow-in than in discrepant label trials, whereas TD boys and boys with ASD did equally well in both trial types. The type of trial administered first influenced subsequent responding. Error patterns also distinguished the groups.

Conclusion

The ability to utilize a speaker's gaze during word learning is not as well developed in boys with FXS or nonsyndromic ASD as in TD boys of the same developmental level.
Children's Perception of Conversational and Clear American-English Vowels in Noise
Authors: Leone Dorothy , Levy Erika S.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

Much of a child's day is spent listening to speech in the presence of background noise. Although accurate vowel perception is important for listeners' accurate speech perception and comprehension, little is known about children's vowel perception in noise.Clear speechis a speech style frequently used by talkers in the presence of noise. This study investigated children's identification of vowels in nonsense words in noise and examined whether adults' use of clear speech would result in the children's more accurate vowel identification.

Method

Two female American-English (AE) speaking adults were recorded producing the nonsense word /gəbVpə/ with AE vowels /ɛ-æ-ɑ-ʌ/ in phrases in conversational and clear speech. These utterances were presented to 15 AE-speaking children (ages 5.0–8.5 years) at a signal-to-noise ratio of −6 dB. The children repeated the utterances.

Results

Clear-speech vowels were repeated significantly more accurately (87%) than conversational-speech vowels (59%), suggesting that clear speech aids children's vowel identification. Children repeated one talker's vowels more accurately than the other's, and front vowels more accurately than central and back vowels.

Conclusion

The findings support the use of clear speech for enhancing adult-to-child communication in AE in noisy environments.
Spatial codification of label predictions in multi‐scale stacked sequential learning: a case study on multi‐class medical volume segmentation
Authors: Sampedro Frederic , Escalera Sergio
Published: January 2015

In this study, the authors propose the spatial codification of label predictions within the multi‐scale stacked sequential learning (MSSL) framework, a successful learning scheme to deal with non‐independent identically distributed data entries. After providing a motivation for this objective, they describe its theoretical framework based on the introduction of the blurred shape model as a smart descriptor to codify the spatial distribution of the predicted labels and define the new extended feature set for the second stacked classifier. They then particularise this scheme to be applied in volume segmentation applications. Finally, they test the implementation of the proposed framework in two medical volume segmentation datasets, obtaining significant performance improvements (with a 95% of confidence) in comparison to standard Adaboost classifier and classical MSSL approaches.
Life‐cycle loss evaluation of power transformers serving large photovoltaic plants in vertically integrated and decentralised systems
Authors: Lazari Antonis L. , Charalambous Charalambos A.
Published: January 2015

This study details a comprehensive loss evaluation method of power transformers serving large‐scale solar applications. The fact that these transformers are obliged to serve an intermittent energy source calls for a suitable method to evaluate their life‐cycle losses and total ownership costs. These transformers may be owned by independent photovoltaic power producers or by regulated utilities. Thus, the method concurrently responds to the current efforts to address the concept of loss evaluation both in vertically‐integrated and decentralised energy systems that are experiencing a high penetration of renewable energy.
Tricuspid Valve Repair for the Poor Right Ventricle: Tricuspid Valve Repair in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Tricuspid Regurgitation Undergoing Mitral Valve Repair Improves In-Hospital Outcome
Authors: Genoni Michele , Graves Kirk , Odavic Dragan , Löblein Helen , Häussler Achim , Dzemali Omer , Zientara Alicja
Published: January 2015

Background Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in patients undergoing surgery for mitral valve (MV) increases morbidity and mortality, especially in case of a poor right ventricle. Does repair of mild-to-moderate insufficiency of the tricuspid valve (TV) in patients undergoing MV surgery lead to a benefit in early postoperative outcome?

Methods A total of 22 patients with mild-to-moderate TR underwent MV repair and concomitant TV repair with Tri-Ad (Medtronic ATS Medical Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States) and Edwards Cosgrove (Edwards Lifesciences Irvine, California, United States) rings. The severity of TR was assessed echocardiographically by using color-Doppler flow images. The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was under 1.7 cm. Additional procedures included coronary artery bypass (n = 9) and maze procedure (n = 15). The following parameters were compared: postoperative and peak dose of noradrenaline (NA), pre/postoperative systolic pulmonary pressure (sPAP), extubation time, operation time, cross-clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, pre/postoperative ejection fraction (EF), intensive care unit (ICU)-stay, hospital stay, cell saver blood transfusion, intra/postoperative blood transfusion, and postoperative TR.

Results The mean age was 67 ± 14.8 years, 45% were male. Mean EF was 47 ± 16.2%, postoperative 52 ± 12.4%. sPAP was 46 ± 20.1 mm Hg preoperatively, sPAP was 40.6 ± 9.4 mm Hg postoperatively, NA postoperatively was 12 ± 10 μg/min, NA peak was 18 ± 11 μg/min, operation time was 275 ± 92 minutes, CPB was 145 ± 49 minutes, ICU stay was 2.4 ± 2.4 days, hospital stay was 10.8 ± 3.5 days, cell saver blood transfusion was 736 ± 346 mL, intraoperative transfusions were 2.5 ± 1.6. Two patients needed postoperative transfusions. A total of 19 patients were extubated at the 1st postoperative day, 2 patients at the 2nd day, and 1 at the 4th postoperative day. Two patients required a pacemaker. No reintubation, no in-hospital mortality, and one reoperation because of bleeding complications.

Conclusion Correction of mild-to-moderate TR at the time of MV repair does maintain TV function and avoid right ventricular dysfunction in the early postoperative period improving the clinical outcome.
X-ray emission spectroscopy of bulk liquid water in “no-man’s land”
Authors: Sellberg Jonas A. , McQueen Trevor A. , Laksmono Hartawan , Schreck Simon , Beye Martin , DePonte Daniel P. , Kennedy Brian , Nordlund Dennis , Sierra Raymond G. , Schlesinger Daniel , Tokushima Takashi , Zhovtobriukh Iurii , Eckert Sebastian , Segtnan Vegard H. , Ogasawara Hirohito , Kubicek Katharina , Techert Simone , Bergmann Uwe , Dakovski Georgi L. , Schlotter William F. , Harada Yoshihisa , Bogan Michael J. , Wernet Philippe , Föhlisch Alexander , Pettersson Lars G. M. , Nilsson Anders
Published: January 2015

The structure of bulk liquid water was recently probed by x-ray scattering below the temperature limit of homogeneous nucleation (TH) of ∼232 K [J. A. Sellberg et al., Nature 510, 381-384 (2014)]. Here, we utilize a similar approach to study the structure of bulk liquid water below TH using oxygen K-edge x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). Based on previous XES experiments [T. Tokushima et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 460, 387-400 (2008)] at higher temperatures, we expected the ratio of the 1b1′ and 1b1″ peaks associated with the lone-pair orbital in water to change strongly upon deep supercooling as the coordination of the hydrogen (H-) bonds becomes tetrahedral. In contrast, we observed only minor changes in the lone-pair spectral region, challenging an interpretation in terms of two interconverting species. A number of alternative hypotheses to explain the results are put forward and discussed. Although the spectra can be explained by various contributions from these hypotheses, we here emphasize the interpretation that the line shape of each component changes dramatically when approaching lower temperatures, where, in particular, the peak assigned to the proposed disordered component would become more symmetrical as vibrational interference becomes more important.
Dissociation energies and potential energy functions for the ground X 1Σ+ and “avoided-crossing” A 1Σ+ states of NaH
Authors: Walji Sadru-Dean , Sentjens Katherine M. , Le Roy Robert J.
Published: January 2015

A direct-potential-fit analysis of all accessible data for the A 1Σ+ − X 1Σ+ system of NaH and NaD is used to determine analytic potential energy functions incorporating the correct theoretically predicted long-range behaviour. These potentials represent all of the data (on average) within the experimental uncertainties and yield an improved estimate for the ground-state NaH well depth of 𝔇e = 15797.4 (±4.3) cm−1, which is ∼20 cm−1 smaller than the best previous estimate. The present analysis also yields the first empirical determination of centrifugal (non-adiabatic) and potential-energy (adiabatic) Born-Oppenheimer breakdown correction functions for this system, with the latter showing that the A-state electronic isotope shift is −1.1(±0.6) cm−1 going from NaH to NaD.
Theory of long-lived nuclear spin states in methyl groups and quantum-rotor induced polarisation
Authors: Dumez Jean-Nicolas , Håkansson Pär , Mamone Salvatore , Meier Benno , Stevanato Gabriele , Hill-Cousins Joseph T. , Roy Soumya Singha , Brown Richard C. D. , Pileio Giuseppe , Levitt Malcolm H.
Published: January 2015

Long-lived nuclear spin states have a relaxation time much longer than the longitudinal relaxation time T1. Long-lived states extend significantly the time scales that may be probed with magnetic resonance, with possible applications to transport and binding studies, and to hyperpolarised imaging. Rapidly rotating methyl groups in solution may support a long-lived state, consisting of a population imbalance between states of different spin exchange symmetries. Here, we expand the formalism for describing the behaviour of long-lived nuclear spin states in methyl groups, with special attention to the hyperpolarisation effects observed in 13CH3 groups upon rapidly converting a material with low-barrier methyl rotation from the cryogenic solid state to a room-temperature solution [M. Icker and S. Berger, J. Magn. Reson. 219, 1 (2012)]. We analyse the relaxation properties of methyl long-lived states using semi-classical relaxation theory. Numerical simulations are supplemented with a spherical-tensor analysis, which captures the essential properties of methyl long-lived states.
Hexagonal CoO nanoparticles as studied by electron spin resonance
Authors: He X. M. , Zhong W. , Du Y. W.
Published: January 2015

We report the electron spin resonance (ESR) results of hexagonal CoO nanoparticles those are different in average size. The temperature evolution of ESR spectra was found to be complicated in nature. The anomalous ESR behaviour is ascribed to (i) uncompensated magnetic sublattice, (ii) magnetic anisotropy of nanoparticles, and (iii) spatial distribution of the anisotropy axis with respect to the magnetic field. Anomalous changes of resonance field and linewidth were observed near the Néel temperature, TN. According to the temperature dependence of ESR intensity, the TN values are found to be 225, 255, and 285 K for hexagonal CoO nanoparticles with sizes of 38, 49, and 67 nm, respectively. We found that the size dependence of TN fits well with the Boltzmann curve.
A comprehensive study of the magnetic, structural, and transport properties of the III-V ferromagnetic semiconductor InMnP
Authors: Khalid M. , Gao Kun , Weschke E. , Hübner R. , Baehtz C. , Gordan O. , Salvan G. , Zahn D. R. T. , Skorupa W. , Helm M. , Zhou Shengqiang
Published: January 2015

The manganese induced magnetic, electrical, and structural modification in InMnP epilayers, prepared by Mn ion implantation and pulsed laser annealing, are investigated in the following work. All samples exhibit clear hysteresis loops and strong spin polarization at the Fermi level. The degree of magnetization, the Curie temperature, and the spin polarization depend on the Mn concentration. The bright-field transmission electron micrographs show that InP samples become almost amorphous after Mn implantation but recrystallize after pulsed laser annealing. We did not observe an insulator-metal transition in InMnP up to a Mn concentration of 5 at. %. Instead all InMnP samples show insulating characteristics up to the lowest measured temperature. Magnetoresistance results obtained at low temperatures support the hopping conduction mechanism in InMnP. We find that the Mn impurity band remains detached from the valence band in InMnP up to 5 at. % Mn doping. Our findings indicate that the local environment of Mn ions in InP is similar to GaMnAs, GaMnP, and InMnAs; however, the electrical properties of these Mn implanted III-V compounds are different. This is one of the consequences of the different Mn binding energy in these compounds.
Binding modes of thrombin binding aptamers investigated by simulations and experiments
Authors: Trapaidze A. , Bancaud A. , Brut M.
Published: January 2015

Thrombin binding aptamers HD1 and HD22 are the most studied aptamers, both for therapeutic and sensing purposes. Yet, there is still no commercialized aptamer-based sensor device for thrombin detection, suggesting that the binding modes of these aptamers remain to be precisely described. Here, we investigate thrombin-aptamer interactions with molecular dynamics simulations, and show that the different solved structures of HD1-thrombin complex are energetically similar and consequently possibly co-existing. Conversely, HD22 folding is much more stable, and its binding energy with thrombin is significantly larger than that of HD1 complexes. These results are confronted to experiments, which consist in monitoring aggregation of aptamer-functionalized gold nanoparticles triggered by thrombin. HD1 alone, but not HD22, can trigger aggregation, meaning that this aptamer has multiple sites of interactions with thrombin. Furthermore, pre-incubation of HD22 with thrombin impedes HD1 aggregation, suggesting that HD1 and HD22 have competing affinities for the same binding site. Altogether, this study shows that the characterization of aptamer-thrombin interactions by structural and kinetic experiments joined to simulations is necessary for the development of biosensors.
The photodissociation dynamics of alkyl radicals
Authors: Giegerich Jens , Fischer Ingo
Published: January 2015

The photodisscociation dynamics of the alkyl radicals i-propyl (CH(CH3)2) and t-butyl (C(CH3)3) are investigated by H-atom photofragment imaging. While i-propyl is excited at 250 nm, the photodynamics of t-butyl are explored over a large energy range using excitation wavelengths between 347 nm and 233 nm. The results are compared to those obtained previously for ethyl, CH3CH2, and to those reported for t-butyl using 248 nm excitation. The translational energy (ET) distribution of the H-atom photofragments is bimodal and appears rather similar for all three radicals. The low ET part of the distribution shows an isotropic photofragment angular distribution, while the high ET part is associated with a considerable anisotropy. Thus, for t-butyl, two H-atom loss channels of roughly equal importance have been identified in addition to the CH3-loss channel reported previously. A mechanism for the photodissociation of alkyl radicals is suggested that is based on interactions between Rydberg- and valence states.
Synthesis and ionic liquid gating of hexagonal WO3 thin films
Authors: Wu Phillip M. , Ishii Satoshi , Tanabe Kenji , Munakata Ko , Hammond R. H. , Tokiwa Kazuyasu , Geballe T. H. , Beasley M. R.
Published: January 2015

Via thin film deposition techniques, the meta-stable in bulk crystal hexagonal phase of tungsten oxide (hex-WO3) is stabilized as a thin film. The hex-WO3 structure is potentially promising for numerous applications and is related to the structure for superconducting compounds found in WO3. Utilizing ionic liquid gating, carriers were electrostatically induced in the films and an insulator-to-metal transition is observed. These results show that ionic liquid gating is a viable technique to alter the electrical transport properties of WO3.
Orientation-dependent magnetism and orbital structure of strained YTiO3 films on LaAlO3 substrates
Authors: Huang Xin , Xu Qingyu , Dong Shuai
Published: January 2015

The strain tuned magnetism of YTiO3 film grown on the LaAlO3 (110) substrate is studied by the method of the first principles, and compared with that of the (001)-oriented one. The obtained magnetism is totally different, which is ferromagnetic for the film on the (110) substrate but A-type antiferromagnetic on the (001) one. This orientation-dependent magnetism is attributed to the subtle orbital ordering of YTiO3 film. The dxz/dyz-type orbital ordering is predominant for the (001) one, but for the (110) case, the dxy orbital is mostly occupied plus a few contribution from the dxz/dyz orbital. Moreover, the lattice mismatch is modest for the (110) case but more serious for the (001) one, which is also responsible for this contrasting magnetism.
Organic electrochemical transistors for cell-based impedance sensing
Authors: Rivnay Jonathan , Ramuz Marc , Leleux Pierre , Hama Adel , Huerta Miriam , Owens Roisin M.
Published: January 2015

Electrical impedance sensing of biological systems, especially cultured epithelial cell layers, is now a common technique to monitor cell motion, morphology, and cell layer/tissue integrity for high throughput toxicology screening. Existing methods to measure electrical impedance most often rely on a two electrode configuration, where low frequency signals are challenging to obtain for small devices and for tissues with high resistance, due to low current. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are conducting polymer-based devices, which have been shown to efficiently transduce and amplify low-level ionic fluxes in biological systems into electronic output signals. In this work, we combine OECT-based drain current measurements with simultaneous measurement of more traditional impedance sensing using the gate current to produce complex impedance traces, which show low error at both low and high frequencies. We apply this technique in vitro to a model epithelial tissue layer and show that the data can be fit to an equivalent circuit model yielding trans-epithelial resistance and cell layer capacitance values in agreement with literature. Importantly, the combined measurement allows for low biases across the cell layer, while still maintaining good broadband signal.
Photovoltaic power generation and its economic and environmental future in Bangladesh
Authors: Hasanuzzaman M. , Al-Amin Abul Quasem , Khanam Shamsunnahar , Hosenuzzaman M.
Published: January 2015

Bangladesh is facing an energy crisis that is likely to become worse in the future because of insufficient power generation. Approximately 50% of the total population lives without grid-connected electricity. Moreover, the people connected to the grid are unable to access an even and continuous power supply on a daily basis. This research investigated the potential of renewable energy technologies, specifically photovoltaic (PV) power generation, and its economic and environmental impacts in Bangladesh. The concerns about the costs of PV technologies for Bangladesh were addressed by scenario modeling analysis and calculating the net present cost, cost of energy (COE), and bill savings for a 21-yr period. Results showed that 1 and 2 kWp systems could reduce the total energy cost by US$4495.856 and US$2191.69, respectively, and decrease the COE by 0.198 and 0.096 per kW h in a 21-yr period. Over a 21-yr period, 1 kWp PV systems could lower future emissions by a total of 10 162 kg of CO2, 65 kg of SO2, 30 kg of NOx, and 6 kg of CO, whereas 2 kWp PV systems could reduce future emissions by a total of 20 302 kg of CO2, 129 kg of SO2, 60 kg of NOx, and 12 kg of CO.
Tunability of the circadian action of tetrachromatic solid-state light sources
Authors: Žukauskas A. , Vaicekauskas R.
Published: January 2015

An approach to the optimization of the spectral power distribution of solid-state light sources with the tunable non-image forming photobiological effect on the human circadian rhythm is proposed. For tetrachromatic clusters of model narrow-band (direct-emission) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the limiting tunability of the circadian action factor (CAF), which is the ratio of the circadian efficacy to luminous efficacy of radiation, was established as a function of constraining color fidelity and luminous efficacy of radiation. For constant correlated color temperatures (CCTs), the CAF of the LED clusters can be tuned above and below that of the corresponding blackbody radiators, whereas for variable CCT, the clusters can have circadian tunability covering that of a temperature-tunable blackbody radiator.
Time-resolved laser-induced incandescence from multiwalled carbon nanotubes in air
Authors: Mitrani J. M. , Shneider M. N.
Published: January 2015

We observed temporal laser-induced incandescence (LII) signals from multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) suspended in ambient air. Unlike previous LII experiments with soot particles, which showed that primary particles with larger diameters cool at slower timescales relative to smaller particles, we observed that thicker MWCNTs with larger outer diameters (ODs) cool at faster timescales relative to thinner MWCNTs with smaller ODs. We suggested a simple explanation of this effect, based on the solution of one-dimensional nonstationary heat conduction equation for the initial non-uniform heating of MWCNTs with ODs greater than the skin depth.
InAs-based interband-cascade-lasers emitting around 7 μm with threshold current densities below 1 kA/cm2 at room temperature
Authors: Dallner Matthias , Hau Florian , Höfling Sven , Kamp Martin
Published: January 2015

Interband cascade lasers (ICLs) grown on InAs substrates with threshold current densities below 1 kA/cm2 are presented. Two cascade designs with different lengths of the electron injector were investigated. Using a cascade design with 3 InAs quantum wells (QWs) in the electron injector, a device incorporating 22 stages in the active region exhibited a threshold current density of 940 A/cm2 at a record wavelength of 7 μm for ICLs operating in pulsed mode at room temperature. By investigating the influence of the number of stages on the device performance for a cascade design with 2 QWs in the electron injector, a further reduction of the threshold current density to 800 A/cm2 was achieved for a 30 stage device.
Modeling and dynamical topology properties of VANET based on complex networks theory
Authors: Zhang Hong , Li Jie
Published: January 2015

Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET) is a special subset of multi-hop Mobile Ad hoc Networks in which vehicles can not only communicate with each other but also with the fixed equipments along the roads through wireless interfaces. Recently, it has been discovered that essential systems in real world share similar properties. When they are regarded as networks, among which the dynamic topology structure of VANET system is an important issue. Many real world networks are actually growing with preferential attachment like Internet, transportation system and telephone network. Those phenomena have brought great possibility in finding a strategy to calibrate and control the topology parameters which can help find VANET topology change regulation to relieve traffic jam, prevent traffic accident and improve traffic safety. VANET is a typical complex network which has its basic characteristics. In this paper, we focus on the macroscopic Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) inter-vehicle communication network with complex network theory. In particular, this paper is the first one to propose a method analyzing the topological structure and performance of VANET and present the communications in VANET from a new perspective. Accordingly, we propose degree distribution, clustering coefficient and the short path length of complex network to implement our strategy by numerical example and simulation. All the results demonstrate that VANET shows small world network features and is characterized by a truncated scale-free degree distribution with power-law degree distribution. The average path length of the network is simulated numerically, which indicates that the network shows small-world property and is rarely affected by the randomness. What’s more, we carry out extensive simulations of information propagation and mathematically prove the power law property when γ > 2. The results of this study provide useful information for VANET optimization from a macroscopic perspective.
Texturing the cathode of white organic light-emitting diodes with a lattice of nanoscale scatterers for enhanced light out-coupling
Authors: Oskooi Ardavan
Published: January 2015

The external quantum efficiency of white organic light-emitting diodes is often limited by light out-coupling losses due to surface plasmons. We demonstrate how texturing of the metal-cathode surface using a two-dimensionally periodic lattice of nanoscale scatterers with limited disorder can be used to reduce plasmonic losses while simultaneously enhancing both the light out-coupling and the spontaneous-emission rate of the excitons. We use electrodynamic simulations and statistical modeling to explore the relationship between the topology of the surface texture and its corresponding scattering efficiency. From this, we outline attributes of textures that can most enhance device performance.
Subjecthood of the agent argument in Estonian passive constructions
Authors: Lindström Liina
Published: January 2015

This paper tackles diachronic changes in the choice between elative and adessive
case for marking the agent in Estonian periphrastic passive constructions in
two time periods. In 1800–1850, the main agent-marking device was the elative
case, whereas in the 1990s the elative was limited to inanimate actors, and the
use of the adessive had increased considerably. However, the adessive can only
be used for marking volitional, animate agents. Changes are observed with
regard to semantic constraints, subject properties of the adessive and elative
agents, and language contacts. Adessive arguments behave like non-canonical
subjects in many constructions in Estonian, and the use of the adessive for
marking agents in passives is strengthened by the possessive perfect construction
in Eastern Circum-Baltic languages.
The syntactic and semantic history of the Finnish genitive subject
Authors: Leino Jaakko
Published: January 2015

Prototypical Finnish subjects are marked with the nominative case. In many
non-finite expression types, however, the subject is marked with the genitive
case. The genitive subject has grammaticalized from three different sources. In
some constructions, it developed from an earlier adverbial expressing a recipient,
beneficiary or experiencer; in others, it originates in an adnominal possessive
genitive; and its background is a syncretistic accusative. The present paper
analyzes the properties of the different predecessors of the genitive subject
which have made earlier adverbials and objects susceptible to a reanalysis into
grammatical subjects. The paper sheds light on the nature and origins of the
genitive subject, and tackles the development of abstract grammatical categories
from more concrete context-specific ones on a more general level.
Three paradigms of iconicity research in language and literature
Authors: Nöth Winfried
Published: January 2015

The paper discusses the characteristics of icons in the framework of C. S. Peirce’s sign classification and distinguishes three approaches to the study of verbal iconicity. The first investigates how the form of spoken or written language is similar to the meaning it represents. Studies within this paradigm are concerned with sound symbolism and include research in the three subtypes of iconicity distinguished by Peirce: images, diagrams, and metaphors. The second paradigm enquires into how verbal forms echo verbal forms in self-reflexive ways that make words icons of words. Among its topics are rhyme, meter, parallelism, repetition as well as syntactic and semantic recurrence. The third is based on Peirce’s later insight that iconicity is also at the root of verbal symbols and indices, insofar as these signs evoke mental images that represent icons of their signification.
Iconic inferences about personality
Authors: Kawahara Shigeto , Shinohara Kazuko , Grady Joseph
Published: January 2015

The current study oﬀers a new case of an iconic relationship amongst diﬀerent modalities of cognition, going beyond traditional studies of sound symbolism. We report experiments that show that particular types of personalities can be iconically related to particular types of sounds and shapes. Two experiments show that “inaccessible types of personality” are iconically associated with a class of sounds called “obstruents” as well as with angular shapes. The ﬁrst connection – the one between personalities and sounds – adds to the large body of literature on sound symbolism. The second connection – the link between personalities and shapes – goes beyond the traditional cases of sound symbolism, instantiating a case of trans-modal iconic projection from one cognitive modality to another.
Synaesthetic sound iconicity
Authors: Auracher Jan
Published: January 2015

This paper reports results from an empirical study in synaesthetic sound iconicity, a specific form of phonosemantics defined as implicit and systematic associations of acoustic features of phonemes with non-acoustic phenomena. I argue that acoustic features of phonemes are implicitly associated with one pole or the other (e.g., high level or low level) of bipolar semantic concepts such as activity or dominance. Based on this assumption, it was hypothesized that pseudo-words consisting of plosive consonants and back vowels are associated with the emotion of anger, whereas pseudo-words consisting of sonorant consonants and front vowels are associated with the emotion of fear. This hypothesis was tested in an experimental setting, applying a speeded classification paradigm.
Iconicity in translation
Authors: Cohen Imogen , Fischer Olga
Published: January 2015

This article reports on a workshop in which translators explored how particular iconic features present in a literary text might be translated into another language. In advance of the workshop the participants translated two short passages from Tobias Hill’s novel The Hidden into (mostly) their own native language; their translations preserved the text’s iconic features as fully as possible. The article starts with a brief introduction highlighting the iconic features in the passage. It focuses on those parts of the two passages that turned out to be not only most interesting from an iconic point of view but also the most challenging to translate since their iconic features could not always be transferred into the target language in a straightforward way. The languages involved were Dutch, German, Japanese, Polish (2 versions), Serbian, and Swedish. Apart from discussing the translations and the translation difficulties, a further aim was to find out whether we can distinguish any general or language-specific strategies in translating iconic features involving sound, (morpho)syntax or the lexicon.
The days pass …
Authors: Freadman Anne
Published: January 2015

This paper presents a study of three diaries, written by French Jews during the Occupation of France by Nazi Germany, when, as elsewhere in Europe, they were subject to severe persecution. It is also a case study, in that the examples serve to investigate the semiotics of their genre. I read these diaries for the experience of time that they reveal, for which iconicity is a necessary but not sufficient condition. I shall start briefly with the diary of Saül Castro (Castro 2007), who was held for several months in Drancy and Compiègne, and then released. Then, at greater length, those of Jacques Biélinky (Biélinky 1997), and Hélène Berr (Berr 2008), who were both deported and killed. For reasons inherent in the circumstances under which they were written, all these diaries show an acute awareness of time.
The perception of Seoul Korean fricatives by listeners from five different native dialect and language groups
Authors: Holliday Jeffrey J.
Published: January 2015

Previous studies have investigated the acoustic properties of Korean sibilant fricatives, with some attention given to effects of native dialect and language on both their production and perception. The current study investigates the effects of native dialect and language on the perception of Seoul Korean fricatives by testing the identification of fricative-initial CVs by native Korean speakers from Seoul, Daegu, and Jeju, as well as native Mandarin and Japanese second language learners of Korean. The results show that although native Korean listeners are far more accurate than non-native listeners, there was no significant variation within the native and non-native groups themselves. The results also show an inverse relationship between identification accuracy and vowel height that was consistent across both native and non-native listeners. This finding is in line with previous studies showing that the cues to the contrast are stronger in low vowel contexts than in high vowel contexts.
The base of Korean noun paradigms
Authors: Do Youngah , Ito Chiyuki , Kenstowicz Michael
Published: January 2015

This paper reports and analyzes the tonal patterns that emerge in South Kyengsang monosyllabic nouns that exhibit two well-known analogical changes in stem shape, one involving coronal obstruent codas and the other stems with an underlying cluster. By the first change, underlying and orthographic /nach/ ‘face’ inflects as nat̚, nach-ɨl (conservative) or nas-ɨl (innovative); and by the second underlying /talk/ ‘chicken’ inflects as tak̚, talk-ɨl (conservative) or tak-ɨl (innovative). We find that many such nouns with a high-low tonal pattern change to high-high when inflected with the segmentally innovative stem. We propose that this tonal change supports the model of Korean noun paradigms proposed in Albright (2008) and Do (2013) in which the citation form serves as the base for the construction of the suffixed forms. If the base is a neutralization site, then learners select the alternant in which they have the greatest confidence of scoring a correct hit when undoing the neutralization.
Segmentation of British Sign Language (BSL): Mind the gap!
Authors: Orfanidou Eleni , McQueen James M. , Adam Robert , Morgan Gary
Published: January 2015

This study asks how users of British Sign Language (BSL) recognize individual signs in connected sign sequences. We examined whether this is achieved through modality-specific or modality-general segmentation procedures. A modality-specific feature of signed languages is that, during continuous signing, there are salient transitions between sign locations. We used the sign-spotting task to ask if and how BSL signers use these transitions in segmentation. A total of 96 real BSL signs were preceded by nonsense signs which were produced in either the target location or another location (with a small or large transition). Half of the transitions were within the same major body area (e.g., head) and half were across body areas (e.g., chest to hand). Deaf adult BSL users (a group of natives and early learners, and a group of late learners) spotted target signs best when there was a minimal transition and worst when there was a large transition. When location changes were present, both groups performed better when transitions were to a different body area than when they were within the same area. These findings suggest that transitions do not provide explicit sign-boundary cues in a modality-specific fashion. Instead, we argue that smaller transitions help recognition in a modality-general way by limiting lexical search to signs within location neighbourhoods, and that transitions across body areas also aid segmentation in a modality-general way, by providing a phonotactic cue to a sign boundary. We propose that sign segmentation is based on modality-general procedures which are core language-processing mechanisms.
Effect and Strategy of 1-stage Interrupted 2-level Transpedicular Wedge Osteotomy for Correcting Severe Kyphotic Deformities in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Zhao Yongfei , Wang Yan , Wang Zheng , Zhang Xuesong , Mao Keya , Zhang Yonggang
Published: January 2015

Study Design:

Prospective study.

Objective:

To investigate the safety, outcome, and strategy of the 1-stage interrupted 2-level transpedicular wedge osteotomy for correcting the severe kyphotic deformity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Summary of Background Data:

There has been a large series in the literature reporting on results of osteotomy for the correction of kyphotic deformity secondary to AS. However, few articles have reported, in detail, the plan, design, strategy, and effect of 1-stage interrupted 2-level transpedicular wedge osteotomy for the correction of severe kyphotic deformity in AS.

Materials and Methods:

From May 2003 to February 2010, 24 consecutive patients, 17 males and 7 females, suffering from AS with severe spinal kyphosis, underwent 1-stage interrupted 2-level transpedicular wedge osteotomy in our hospital by the corresponding author. Improvements in relevant parameters were recorded and clinical results were evaluated.

Results:

The average operating time was 282±43 minutes, and the average blood loss was 2202±737 mL. All the global and regional spinal alignments improved to relatively normal status: the global thoracolumbar kyphosis angle improved from 101.5±10.8 to 24.8±5.8 degrees (P<0.001), the thoracolumbar kyphosis improved from 37.9±5.1 to 0.7±12.8 degrees (P<0.001), and the lumbar lordosis improved from 35.0±9.2 to −25.7±10.9 degrees (P<0.001). Meanwhile, the chin-brow vertical angle improved from 79.5±5.1 to 8.5±2.7 degrees (P<0.001), and the sagittal imbalance distance improved from 49.6±6.5 to 11.5±3.5 cm (P<0.001). All the patients could walk with horizontal vision and lie on their backs postoperatively, and scoliosis research society-22 scores improved from 1.6±0.2 preoperatively to 4.3±0.2 at the 2-year follow-up. The mean time of follow-up was 52±28 months. Fusion of the osteotomy was achieved in each patient and no instances of loss of correction or implant failure were noted.

Conclusion:

For correcting severe kyphosis in patients with AS, the 1-stage interrupted 2-level transpedicular wedge osteotomy is a safe and effective technique that significantly improves appearance and function.
Palliative Surgery for Spinal Metastases Using Posterior Decompression and Fixation Combined With Intraoperative Vertebroplasty
Authors: Dong Liang , Tan Mingsheng , Wu Di , Yi Ping , Yang Feng , Tang Xiangsheng , Hao Qingying
Published: January 2015

Study Design:

Retrospective study.

Objective:

To evaluate the clinical outcome of palliative surgery using posterior decompression and fixation combined with intraoperative vertebroplasty (PDFIV) for the treatment of spinal metastases, and analyze the indications for PDFIV using a neurological, oncologic, mechanical, and systemic framework.

Summary of Background Data:

Palliative surgery is widely used to spinal metastatic patients with poor condition for enough postoperative recovery. PDFIV which is a new palliative surgery is rarely reported its efficacies and indications.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of 26 consecutive patients with spinal metastases treated by PDFIV was performed. The group includes 18 men and 8 women with an average age of 55.7 years (range, 47–79 y). All patients presented with local pain, 18 patients had compressive myelopathy, and 9 had radiculopathy. The total segments involved were 32. Postoperative imaging was used to evaluate cement leakage, the status of fixation, and recurrence. The visual analogue score and Frankel grade were used to identify neurological function.

Results:

There were no intraoperative neurological or vascular injuries. The mean operative time was 173 minutes (range, 125–245 min), the mean blood loss was 659 mL (range, 350–2500 mL), and the average amount of cement used in the vertebrae was 4.1 mL (range, 2.0–5.5 mL). All patients were followed for an average of 25 months (range, 6–56 mo). The visual analogue score decreased from 8.1 preoperatively to 2.1 postoperatively. Fifteen of 18 patients with compressive myelopathies had improved Frankel grades. Postoperative computed tomography scans showed cement leakage in 3 patients (11.5%); however, all of the leakages were clinically asymptomatic. There were local tumor recurrences requiring reoperation in 2 patients.

Conclusions:

Palliative surgery using PDFIV can improve neurological function and alleviate pain effectively, and allow low cement leakage and timely disposal of leakage combined with intraoperative visual vertebroplasty.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy Caused by Wilms Tumor
Authors: Chalavon Emmanuelle , Lampin Marie-Emilie , Lervat Cyril , Leroy Xavier , Bonnevalle Michel , Recher Morgan , Sudour-Bonnange Hélène
Published: January 2015

The authors report the case of a 7-month-old girl with unilateral Wilms tumor with dilated cardiomyopathy, leading to cardiac failure and requiring intensive care. After chemotherapy and tumor removal, cardiac function has improved. This is a rare report on the association between nephroblastoma and dilated cardiomyopathy without hypertension.
Emergency Department Diagnosis of Dietl Crisis in a 7-Year-Old Girl With Abdominal Pain
Authors: Burhop James , Clingenpeel Joel M. , Poirier Michael P.
Published: January 2015

Children with Dietl crisis often experience a delay in diagnosis, with the clinical entity being underdiagnosed. Pain is caused by compression of an aberrant artery crossing dilated kidney. Pain is often worsened after the consumption of liquids and resolves after fluid reabsorption. There are no clear criteria for evaluating ureter obstruction in childhood abdominal pain in the emergency department setting; however, it has been suggested that ultrasound may aid in the diagnosis. As renal parenchyma is typically preserved, and there is a paucity of associated urological complaints, once properly diagnosed, most patients are well served by a pyeloplasty.
Social learning of fear and safety is determined by the demonstrator's racial group
Authors: Golkar Armita , Castro Vasco , Olsson Andreas
Published: January 2015

Social learning offers an efficient route through which humans and other animals learn about potential dangers in the environment. Such learning inherently relies on the transmission of social information and should imply selectivity in
what
to learn from
whom
. Here, we conducted two observational learning experiments to assess how humans learn about danger and safety from members (‘demonstrators') of an other social group than their own. We show that both fear and safety learning from a racial in-group demonstrator was more potent than learning from a racial out-group demonstrator.
A new twist on gyroscopic sensing: body rotations lead to torsion in flapping, flexing insect wings
Authors: Eberle A. L. , Dickerson B. H. , Reinhall P. G. , Daniel T. L.
Published: January 2015

Insects perform fast rotational manoeuvres during flight. While two insect orders use flapping halteres (specialized organs evolved from wings) to detect body dynamics, it is unknown how other insects detect rotational motions. Like halteres, insect wings experience gyroscopic forces when they are flapped and rotated and recent evidence suggests that wings might indeed mediate reflexes to body rotations. But, can gyroscopic forces be detected using only changes in the structural dynamics of a flapping, flexing insect wing? We built computational and robotic models to rotate a flapping wing about an axis orthogonal to flapping. We recorded high-speed video of the model wing, which had a flexural stiffness similar to the wing of theManduca sextahawkmoth, while flapping it at the wingbeat frequency ofManduca(25 Hz). We compared the three-dimensional structural dynamics of the wing with and without a 3 Hz, 10° rotation about the yaw axis. Our computational model revealed that body rotation induces a new dynamic mode: torsion. We verified our result by measuring wing tip displacement, shear strain and normal strain of the robotic wing. The strains we observed could stimulate an insect's mechanoreceptors and trigger reflexive responses to body rotations.
Optimal Lévy-flight foraging in a finite landscape
Authors: Zhao Kun , Jurdak Raja , Liu Jiajun , Westcott David , Kusy Branislav , Parry Hazel , Sommer Philipp , McKeown Adam
Published: January 2015

We present a simple model to study Lévy-flight foraging with a power-law step-size distributionin a finite landscape with countable targets. We find that different optimal foraging strategies characterized by a wide range of power-law exponentμopt, from ballistic motion (μopt→ 1) to Lévy flight (1 <μopt< 3) to Brownian motion (μopt≥ 3), may arise in adaptation to the interplay between the termination of foraging, which is regulated by the number of foraging steps, and the environmental context of the landscape, namely the landscape size and number of targets. We further demonstrate that stochastic returning can be another significant factor that affects the foraging efficiency and optimality of foraging strategy. Our study provides a new perspective on Lévy-flight foraging, opens new avenues for investigating the interaction between foraging dynamics and the environment and offers a realistic framework for analysing animal movement patterns from empirical data.