bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity to Audiovisual Temporal Asynchrony in Children With a History of Specific Language Impairment and Their Peers With Typical Development: A Replication and Follow-Up Study
Authors: Kaganovich Natalya
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Earlier, my colleagues and I showed that children with a history of specific language impairment (H-SLI) are significantly less able to detect audiovisual asynchrony compared with children with typical development (TD; Kaganovich & Schumaker, 2014). Here, I first replicate this finding in a new group of children with H-SLI and TD and then examine a relationship among audiovisual function, attention skills, and language in a combined pool of children.

Method

The stimuli were a pure tone and an explosion-shaped figure. Stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) varied from 0–500 ms. Children pressed 1 button for perceived synchrony and another for asynchrony. I measured the number of synchronous perceptions at each SOA and calculated children's temporal binding windows. I, then, conducted multiple regressions to determine if audiovisual processing and attention can predict language skills.

Results

As in the earlier study, children with H-SLI perceived asynchrony significantly less frequently than children with TD at SOAs of 400–500 ms. Their temporal binding windows were also larger. Temporal precision and attention predicted 23%–37% of children's language ability.

Conclusions

Audiovisual temporal processing is impaired in children with H-SLI. The degree of this impairment is a predictor of language skills. Once understood, the mechanisms underlying this deficit may become a new focus for language remediation.
Electrostatic and whistler instabilities excited by an electron beam
Authors: An Xin , Bortnik Jacob , Van Compernolle Bart , Decyk Viktor , Thorne Richard
Published: July 2017

The electron beam-plasma system is ubiquitous in the space plasma environment. Here, using a Darwin particle-in-cell method, the excitation of electrostatic and whistler instabilities by a gyrating electron beam is studied in support of recent laboratory experiments. It is assumed that the total plasma frequency (ωpe) is larger than the electron cyclotron frequency (Ωe). The fast-growing electrostatic beam-mode waves saturate in a few plasma oscillations by slowing down and relaxing the electron beam parallel to the background magnetic field. Upon their saturation, the finite amplitude electrostatic beam-mode waves can resonate with the tail of the background thermal electrons and accelerate them to the beam parallel velocity. The slower-growing whistler waves are excited in primarily two resonance modes: (a) through Landau resonance due to the inverted slope of the beam electrons in the parallel velocity and (b) through cyclotron resonance by scattering electrons to both lower pitch angles and smaller energies. It is demonstrated that, for a field-aligned beam, the whistler instability can be suppressed by the electrostatic instability due to a faster energy transfer rate between the beam electrons and electrostatic waves. Such a competition of growth between whistler and electrostatic waves depends on the ratio of ωpe/Ωe. In terms of wave propagation, beam-generated electrostatic waves are confined to the beam region, whereas beam-generated whistler waves transport energy away from the beam.
On krypton-doped capsule implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility
Authors: Chen Hui , Ma T. , Nora R. , Barrios M. A. , Scott H. A. , Schneider M. B. , Berzak Hopkins L. , Casey D. T. , Hammel B. A. , Jarrott L. C. , Landen O. L. , Patel P. K. , Rosenberg M. J. , Spears B. K.
Published: July 2017

This paper presents the spectroscopic aspects of using Krypton as a dopant in NIF capsule implosions through simulation studies and the first set of NIF experiments. Using a combination of 2D hohlraum and 1D capsule simulations with comprehensive spectroscopic modeling, the calculations focused on the effect of dopant concentration on the implosion, and the impact of gradients in the electron density and temperature to the Kr line features and plasma opacity. Experimental data were obtained from three NIF Kr-dopant experiments, performed with varying Kr dopant concentrations between 0.01% and 0.03%. The implosion performance, hotspot images, and detailed Kr spectral analysis are summarized relative to the predictions. Data show that fuel-dopant spectroscopy can serve as a powerful and viable diagnostic for inertial confinement fusion implosions.
The exact solution of the Schrödinger equation with a polynomially spatially varying mass
Authors: Bednarik Michal , Cervenka Milan
Published: July 2017

The Schrödinger equation with a position-dependent mass (SEPDM) is employed in many areas of quantum physics. Exact solutions for the SEPDM lie at the center of interest of the professional public because it helps us to understand the behavior of quantum particles in the cases in which their mass varies spatially. For this purpose, we used the mass function represented by a quartic polynomial and a quadratic potential function, which extends the current class of exact solutions of the SEPDM. The exact analytical solution of the problem is expressed as a linear combination of local Heun functions. Heun’s equation contains many parameters, resulting in its general nature. We studied how limit changes in some of these parameters will affect the solution of the SEPDM. The obtained solutions are particularly suitable for the transfer matrix method and solutions of scattering problems; this is demonstrated by the calculation of bound states.
Temperature dependence of the translocation time of polymer through repulsive nanopores
Authors: Luo Meng-Bo , Tsehay Dessalegne A. , Sun Li-Zhen
Published: July 2017

The forced translocation of a polymer chain through repulsive nanopores was studied by using Langevin dynamics simulations. The polymer is in the compact globule state at low temperature and in the random coil state at high temperature. Simulation results show that the mean translocation time 〈τ〉 is highly dependent on the temperature T and the minimal 〈τ〉 is located near the coil-globule transition temperature. Moreover, the scaling behaviors 〈τ〉 ∼ Nα and 〈τ〉 ∼ F−δ are studied, with N the polymer length and F the driving force inside the nanopore. Universal values α = 1.4 and δ = 0.85 are observed for the polymer in the random coil state. While for the polymer in the compact globule state, α decreases from α = 2 at weak driving to 1.2 at strong driving for short N and δ increases with decreasing T in the low F region, but we find universal exponents α = 1.6 for long N and δ = 0.85 in the large F region. Results show that polymer’s conformation plays a much more important role than the diffusion coefficient in controlling the translocation time of the polymer chain.
Enhanced radiative emission from monolayer MoS2 films using a single plasmonic dimer nanoantenna
Authors: Palacios Edgar , Park Spencer , Butun Serkan , Lauhon Lincoln , Aydin Koray
Published: July 2017

By thinning transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) to monolayer form, a direct bandgap semiconductor emerges which opens up opportunities for use in optoelectronic devices. However, absorption and radiative emission is drastically reduced which hinders their applicability for practical devices. One way to address this challenge is to design plasmonic resonators that localize electric fields within or near the two-dimensional (2D) material to confine excitation fields and increase Purcell factors. Previous studies have successfully utilized this method for enhancing radiative emission in 2D-TMDCs by using large area plasmonic arrays that exhibit complex plasmonic interactions due to near and far-field couplings that take place over many periods. In this study, we demonstrate the photoluminescence enhancements in monolayer MoS2 under single Au nanoantennas which only exhibit near-field interactions. Here, the enhancements originate from excitation of near-field plasmons confined within 20 nm of monolayer MoS2 which yields a peak photoluminescence enhancement of 8-fold and an area corrected photoluminescence enhancement >980 fold. Additionally, simulated enhancement trends are found to agree well with experimental results to understand the optimal design requirements. Our results will provide a better understanding of local emission enhancements in 2D materials over small areas of MoS2 that are essential for future applications of truly compact optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional or reduced dimensionality materials.
Development of a non-equilibrium 60 MHz plasma jet with a long discharge plume
Authors: Uchida Giichiro , Kawabata Kazufumi , Ito Taiki , Takenaka Kosuke , Setsuhara Yuichi
Published: July 2017

High-frequency plasma jets driven by voltages in the frequency range of 6–60 MHz are developed. A long plasma jet, 40 mm in length, is successfully produced by using a pair of ring electrodes outside a quartz tube. The electrode pair consists of a wide power electrode and a narrow ground electrode that is positioned at the head of the tube. The ratio of the length of the ground electrode to the length of the power electrode must be small in order to produce long plasma jets. The high-frequency plasma jet is operated in a non-thermal-equilibrium state at a gas temperature of around 60 °C. Operation at the very-high-frequency of 60 MHz leads to a lower discharge voltage and lower electron energy compared to lower frequencies of 6 and 13.56 MHz. The ability of the very-high-frequency (60 MHz) plasma jet to produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in water is also investigated. High H2O2 and NO3− concentrations of more than 1 mmol/l are realized by irradiating 3 ml of deionized water with the plasma for a short period of 2 min.
Temperature dependence of Al0.2Ga0.8As X-ray photodiodes for X-ray spectroscopy
Authors: Whitaker M. D. C. , Butera S. , Lioliou G. , Barnett A. M.
Published: July 2017

Two custom-made Al0.2Ga0.8As p+-i-n+ mesa X-ray photodiodes (200 μm diameter, 3 μm i layer) have been electrically characterised across the temperature range −20 °C to 60 °C. The devices were connected to a custom-made charge sensitive preamplifier to produce an AlGaAs photon-counting X-ray spectrometer. The devices' responses to illumination with soft X-rays from an 55Fe radioisotope X-ray source (Mn Kα = 5.9 keV; Mn Kβ = 6.49 keV) were investigated across the temperature range −20 °C to 20 °C. The best energy resolution (FWHM at 5.9 keV) achieved at 20 °C was 1.06 keV (with the detector at 10 V reverse bias). Improved FWHM was observed with the devices at temperatures of 0 °C (0.86 keV) and −20 °C (0.83 keV) with the photodiode reverse biased at 30 V. The average electron hole pair creation energy was experimentally measured and determined to be 4.43 eV ± 0.09 eV at 20 °C, 4.44 eV ± 0.10 eV at 0 °C, and 4.56 eV ± 0.10 eV at −20 °C.
Intrinsic magnetism of graphdiyne
Authors: Zheng Yongping , Chen Yanhuan , Lin Lihua , Sun Yuanyuan , Liu Huibiao , Li Yuliang , Du Youwei , Tang Nujiang
Published: July 2017

Graphdiyne (GDY) was prepared by a cross-coupling reaction and its magnetic properties were studied. The results show that the as-prepared GDY is spin-half paramagnetism. GDY shows the increase in the spin density by annealing, and antiferromagnetism appears after annealing at 600 °C. The density functional calculations show that (i) the hydroxyl groups on the chain of GDY sheet are the major magnetic sources, and (ii) these hydroxyl groups have the high barrier energy of 1.73 eV for migrating from the ring site to chain site, which can prevent the hydroxyl groups’ clustering and may favor the antiferromagnetism in the annealed GDY.
Multi-frequency spin manipulation using rapidly tunable superconducting coplanar waveguide microresonators
Authors: Asfaw A. T. , Sigillito A. J. , Tyryshkin A. M. , Schenkel T. , Lyon S. A.
Published: July 2017

In this work, we demonstrate the use of frequency-tunable superconducting NbTiN coplanar waveguide microresonators for multi-frequency pulsed electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments. By applying a bias current to the center pin, the resonance frequency (∼7.6 GHz) can be continuously tuned by as much as 95 MHz in 270 ns without a change in the quality factor of 3000 at 2 K. We demonstrate the ESR performance of our resonators by measuring donor spin ensembles in silicon and show that adiabatic pulses can be used to overcome magnetic field inhomogeneities and microwave power limitations due to the applied bias current. We take advantage of the rapid tunability of these resonators to manipulate both phosphorus and arsenic spins in a single pulse sequence, demonstrating pulsed double electron-electron resonance. Our NbTiN resonator design is useful for multi-frequency pulsed ESR and should also have applications in experiments where spin ensembles are used as quantum memories.
Single-photon emission at 1.55 μm from MOVPE-grown InAs quantum dots on InGaAs/GaAs metamorphic buffers
Authors: Paul Matthias , Olbrich Fabian , Höschele Jonatan , Schreier Susanne , Kettler Jan , Portalupi Simone Luca , Jetter Michael , Michler Peter
Published: July 2017

By metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy, we have fabricated InAs quantum dots (QDs) on InGaAs/GaAs metamorphic buffer layers on a GaAs substrate with area densities that allow addressing single quantum dots. The photoluminescence emission from the quantum dots is shifted to the telecom C-band at 1.55 μm with a high yield due to the reduced stress in the quantum dots. The lowered residual strain at the surface of the metamorphic buffer layer results in a reduced lattice mismatch between the quantum dot material and growth surface. The quantum dots exhibit resolution-limited linewidths (mean value: 59 μeV) and low fine-structure splittings. Furthermore, we demonstrate single-photon emission (g(2)(0)=0.003) at 1.55 μm and decay times on the order of 1.4 ns comparable to InAs QDs directly deposited on GaAs substrates. Our results suggest that these quantum dots can not only compete with their counterparts deposited on InP substrates but also constitute an InAs/GaAs-only approach for the development of non-classical light sources in the telecom C-band.
Demonstration of highly efficient forward stimulated Brillouin scattering in partly suspended silicon nanowire racetrack resonators
Authors: Zhang Ruiwen , Sun Junqiang , Chen Guodong , Cheng Ming , Jiang Jialin
Published: July 2017

We demonstrate the forward stimulated Brillouin scattering (FSBS) in a partly suspended silicon nanowire racetrack resonator. To realize the tight confinement of the transverse acoustic modes in the nanoscale silicon core, the racetrack resonator is supported by the tiny pillar. The Brillouin amplification of 2.25 dB is achieved with the resonator radius of 100 μm under a low-power pump laser of 8 mW. The influences of the waveguide width and the top width of the tiny pillar on the Brillouin frequency shift and Brillouin gain are presented and analyzed. The Brillouin frequency shift is conveniently manipulated by the changes in waveguide widths. Our proposed approach furnishes an alternative towards harnessing FSBS in integrated photonic circuits.
Radial correlation length across magnetic islands: Simulations and experiments
Authors: Fernández-Marina F. , Estrada T. , Blanco E. , García L.
Published: July 2017

The turbulence radial correlation length Lr of density fluctuations is studied across magnetic islands both numerically and experimentally. The numerical study has been carried out by a resistive MHD code (called FAR). It shows asymmetric Lr profiles when measured across magnetic islands. Subsequent simulations using a synthetic Doppler reflectometer suggest that this diagnostic has the capability to capture the effect observed in the results provided by FAR. Finally, experimental studies performed using the Doppler reflectometer installed at the TJ-II stellarator show asymmetries in the coherence profiles matching the radial position of magnetic islands. The similarities found between simulations and experiments indicate that radial correlation length measurements could be used to detect magnetic islands in fusion plasmas.
Research on the high power cyclotron-wave rectifier
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyun , Tuo Xianguo , Ge Qing , Peng Ying
Published: July 2017

As a key component of a Wireless Power Transmission System, a cyclotron-wave rectifier, a high power microwave to DC converter, has received more attention from scholars. This paper comprehensively analyzes various limiting factors of the output voltage and current. The results show that high frequency breakdown, the external magnetic field, and engineering realization limit the output voltage, and the space charge force limits the beam current. On this basis, by using the equivalent circuit and particle simulation, we design a cyclotron-wave rectifier with high power. The simulation results demonstrate that working at 2.45 GHz, the rectifier can obtain an output voltage of 113 kV and an output power of 791 kW. These conclusions can provide guidance for designing and application of this device.
Achieving control and synchronization merely through a stochastically adaptive feedback coupling
Authors: Lin Wei , Chen Xin , Zhou Shijie
Published: July 2017

Techniques of deterministically adaptive feedback couplings have been successfully and extensively applied to realize control or/and synchronization in chaotic dynamical systems and even in complex dynamical networks. In this article, a technique of stochastically adaptive feedback coupling is novelly proposed to not only realize control in chaotic dynamical systems but also achieve synchronization in unidirectionally coupled systems. Compared with those deterministically adaptive couplings, the proposed stochastic technique interestingly shows some advantages from a physical viewpoint of time and energy consumptions. More significantly, the usefulness of the proposed stochastic technique is analytically validated by the theory of stochastic processes. It is anticipated that the proposed stochastic technique will be widely used in achieving system control and network synchronization.
High-frequency noise characterization of graphene field effect transistors on SiC substrates
Authors: Yu C. , He Z. Z. , Song X. B. , Liu Q. B. , Dun S. B. , Han T. T. , Wang J. J. , Zhou C. J. , Guo J. C. , Lv Y. J. , Cai S. J. , Feng Z. H.
Published: July 2017

Considering its high carrier mobility and high saturation velocity, a low-noise amplifier is thought of as being the most attractive analogue application of graphene field-effect transistors. The noise performance of graphene field-effect transistors at frequencies in the K-band remains unknown. In this work, the noise parameters of a graphene transistor are measured from 10 to 26 GHz and noise models are built with the data. The extrinsic minimum noise figure for a graphene transistor reached 1.5 dB, and the intrinsic minimum noise figure was as low as 0.8 dB at a frequency of 10 GHz, which were comparable with the results from tests on Si CMOS and started to approach those for GaAs and InP transistors. Considering the short development time, the current results are a significant step forward for graphene transistors and show their application potential in high-frequency electronics.
A synthesis of cutting-edge research for converting CO2 into renewable fuel
Authors: Blaustein Rich
Published: July 2017

Converting CO 2  to chemical fuels is promising, and scientists are addressing energy and chemical bonding challenges involving adsorption, solvent and catalyst inputs.
Achieving self-sufficiency: training Australia’s future medical workforce
Authors: Fernandes Brian , Cliff Edward R. Scheffer , Chowdhury Amelia
Published: July 2017

There is an oversupply of Australian junior doctors, but significant training bottlenecks are developing, and geographical maldistribution in rural and remote areas remains. Last year, the Federal Minister for Immigration rejected a Department of Health recommendation for the removal of 41 health roles from the Skilled Occupation List after concerns that rural and regional communities would be left without access to medical services in areas currently serviced by international medical graduates. In an effort to achieve workforce self-sufficiency, Australia must ensure access to high-quality vocational training places in rural and regional settings while managing immigration of overseas-trained health professionals.
Floral morphology of Eucalyptus leucoxylon (Myrtaceae) facilitates pollination by lorikeet (Aves: Psittacidae) tongues
Authors: Zilko Joseph P. , Hoebee Susan E. , Edwards Trevor J.
Published: July 2017

Bird pollination is particularly common and widespread in the southern regions of Australia. Despite some eucalypts being heavily frequented by birds, they are usually considered to have a generalist pollination system because of their apparently unspecialised floral morphology. A few species possess protandrous anthers that dehisce within a tightly furled dome of filaments. We hypothesised that this facilitates pollen transport via the brush tongues of lorikeets. Using Eucalyptus leucoxylon F.Muell. and five captive rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus hematodus) as a model, we demonstrated that lorikeets remove significant quantities of pollen from flowers with inflexed filaments in a short time (30 min), compared with bagged control flowers (Mann–Whitney U test, Z = 165.4, d.f. = 29, P = 0.008). Some of this pollen is deposited on stigmas by the tongue, which is the organ that most regularly and reliably contacts stigmas. The mean number of pollen grains deposited on stigmas by each bird was as high as 121.2. Adhesive tape contacted by the tongue during foraging removed up to 2104 pollen grains, which was significantly greater than for uncontacted control tape (Mann–Whitney U test, Z = 110, d.f. = 21, P < 0.001). Scanning electron micrograph imaging of a lorikeet tongue showed many pollen grains that had been transferred onto its keratin papillae, which is likely to have contributed to high carryover rates by retaining pollen for a substantial amount of time. Minimal pollen is available for generalist pollination once the filaments unfurl. It appears highly unlikely that insects are able to access pollen from these male-phase flowers and inflexed filaments may therefore fulfil an exclusionary role.
Weed response and crop growth in winter wheat–lucerne intercropping: a comparison of conventional and reduced soil-tillage conditions in northern France
Authors: Barilli E. , Jeuffroy M.-H. , Gall J. , de Tourdonnet S. , Médiène S.
Published: July 2017

Changing agricultural practices from conventional to conservation tillage generally leads to increased weed populations and herbicide use. To gain information about the possible use of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cover crop as an alternative and sustainable weed-control strategy for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), an experiment was performed at Thiverval-Grignon, France, from 2008 to 2010. We compared conventional and reduced tillage as well as the presence and absence of living mulch (i.e. lucerne) on weeds and wheat production. Percentage soil coverage and aboveground biomass of wheat, lucerne and weeds were measured at the end of grain filling. Weed communities were analysed in terms of composition and diversity. During both seasons, wheat biomass did not significantly decrease in reduced-till trials compared with conventional ones (7.0 and 7.2 t ha–1, respectively, in 2008–09; 6.9 and 7.1 t ha–1 in 2009–10). Regardless of soil management, the percentage soil coverage by wheat significantly decreased when it was intercropped, although wheat biomass was not significantly reduced compared with the sole crop. To minimise cash-crop losses, we studied the competition between wheat, lucerne and weeds, testing various herbicide strategies. Early control of lucerne allowed better balance between weed control and wheat development. In addition, weed communities varied among treatments in terms of abundance and composition, being reduced but more varied in plots associated with lucerne. A functional group analysis showed that grasses benefited from reduced-till conditions, whereas problematic weeds such as annuals with creeping and climbing morphologies were substantially reduced. In addition, annual and perennial broad-leaf species with rosette morphology were also significantly decreased when lucerne was used as living mulch. Wheat production in reduced-till conditions intercropped with lucerne living mulch may be useful for integrated weed management, reducing the need for herbicides.
Improved grain yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) under water deficit after inoculation with Bradyrhizobium elkanii and Rhizophagus irregularis
Authors: Oliveira Rui S. , Carvalho Patrícia , Marques Guilhermina , Ferreira Luís , Pereira Sandra , Nunes Mafalda , Rocha Inês , Ma Ying , Carvalho Maria F. , Vosátka Miroslav , Freitas Helena
Published: July 2017

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), a plant broadly cultivated for human consumption and animal feed, is among the most nutritious grain legumes. Most of the areas where cowpea is grown are drought-prone, and there is a need to address this issue, with water scarcity becoming a major concern in agriculture. Cowpea is known to form mutualistic associations with nitrogen-fixing (NF) bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. These beneficial soil microorganisms have the capacity to benefit plants by reducing the effects of environmental stresses, including drought. Our aim was to study the effect of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium elkanii and Rhizophagus irregularis on the growth and grain yield of cowpea under water-deficit conditions. Under moderate water deficit, grain yield was increased by 63%, 55% and 84% in plants inoculated with B. elkanii, R. irregularis and B. elkanii + R. irregularis, respectively. Under severe water deficit, inoculation with B. elkanii and B. elkanii + R. irregularis resulted in grain-yield enhancement of 45% and 42%, respectively. The use of cowpea inoculated with NF bacteria and AM fungi has great potential for sustainable agricultural production under drought conditions.
Placing the forgotten: on the positions of Euenchytraeus and Chamaedrilus in an updated enchytraeid phylogeny (Clitellata : Enchytraeidae)
Authors: Martinsson Svante , Dózsa-Farkas Klára , Rota Emilia , Erséus Christer
Published: July 2017

The phylogeny of Enchytraeidae was re-estimated to establish the relationships of the now resurrected Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus and to confirm their status as separate taxa. The former Cognettia (Enchytraeidae) was recently revised and split into its two senior synonyms, Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus, with the majority of the species transferred to Chamaedrilus. Euenchytraeus was re-established for three species sharing a unique anatomical trait, but has never before been represented in any phylogenetic study. We included representatives from 21 (of 33) valid enchytraeid genera and used three mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. The dataset (4164 base pairs) was analysed using multi-species coalescent (MSC) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. Chamaedrilus (represented by eight species) and Euenchytraeus (represented by Eu. clarae) were found in a clade together with the monotypic Stercutus. Chamaedrilus was found to be monophyletic with maximum support in both analyses. The ML tree supported Euenchytraeus and Chamaedrilus as sister groups, whereas the MSC tree placed Euenchytraeus together with Stercutus, both with low support. A Bayes factor test weakly supported Euenchytraeus and Chamaedrilus as sister groups over Euenchytraeus+Stercutus. Possible morphological synapomorphies for these genera are discussed, and we conclude that Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus are closely related, but their status as separate genera is justified.
Advancing genomics through the Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA)
Authors: Voolstra Christian R. , GIGA Community of Scientists (COS)  , Wörheide Gert , Lopez Jose V.
Published: July 2017

The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA), a collaborative network of diverse scientists, marked its second anniversary with a workshop in Munich, Germany in 2015, where international attendees focused on discussing current progress, milestones and bioinformatics resources. The community determined the recruitment and training of talented researchers as one of the most pressing future needs and identified opportunities for network funding. GIGA also promotes future research efforts to prioritise taxonomic diversity and create new synergies. Here, we announce the generation of a central and simple data repository portal with a wide coverage of available sequence data, via the compagen platform, in parallel with more focused and specialised organism databases to globally advance invertebrate genomics. This article serves the objectives of GIGA by disseminating current progress and future prospects in the science of invertebrate genomics with the aim of promotion and facilitation of interdisciplinary and international research.
Mapping a city – Berlin in a contemporary detective novel
Authors: Löwe Corina
Published: July 2017

In the novel Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner, published in 1929, the contemporary city of Berlin is set as an urban topos in which children navigate in an independent and self-confident way. Also more recent detective novels choose Berlin as the scene and make use of its cultural and geographical diversity. This chapter focuses on Andreas Steinhöfel’s Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten (2008) and examines which urban spaces in Berlin are presented, how the protagonist orients himself in the city, and what function the mapping has. The analysis focuses on how the psychological learning process of orientation in a city can be supported by children’s literature.
“An island made of water quite surrounded by earth”
Authors: Holownia Olga
Published: July 2017

This chapter examines the ways in which geography functions in nonsense verse, prose and illustration, and more specifically, in the representations of seascapes. The key purpose of maps, toponyms and topothesia, which conventionally help the readers envision and navigate a fictitious world, tends not to be fulfilled in literary nonsense, even when maps or detailed descriptions are provided. Focusing on the genre-defining nineteenth-century works and their twentieth-century visual re-interpretations, this chapter outlines selected common features of nonsense geography and shows how the nonsense game has since been followed in our own time, using a popular example drawn from contemporary literature.
Landscapes of growth, faith, and doubt
Authors: Goga Nina
Published: July 2017

The research literature on the hallmarks and history of fantasy has become quite comprehensive, and includes analyses of specific works or series in the genre. A large number of fantasy studies examine typical themes, motifs, and characteristics of the genre such as the struggle between good and evil, the chosen child, and the passage between the primary and secondary worlds. Although several research studies on fantasy have pointed out that maps are provided in many books to help readers find their way to the various places and navigate the depicted landscapes, fewer explore the mystical, fantastic, and magic places displayed in the maps.
Sibling influence on morphological development?
Authors: Ketrez F. Nihan
Published: July 2017

Turkish-speaking monolingual children who had a twin sibling, and singleton children without siblings were compared at age 2;0 in terms of their morphological complexity. Children in two groups were balanced according to their birth weight and gestational age. The difference observed between the two groups was attributed to twin children’s exposure to their sibling’s language rather than the disadvantages due to “triadic” interaction patterns observed in twin homes. Singletons with older siblings and twins were further contrasted in terms of their speech as well as their siblings’ speech and the findings supported the results.
Evidentiality, questions and the reflection principle in Tibetan
Authors: Villiers Jill de , Garfield Jay L.
Published: July 2017

Evidentials fall in the borderland between traditional semantics and pragmatics. A situation semantics for evidentials helps to explain their puzzling developmental pathway in children. Drawing on our work in Tibetan, we argue that there is no necessity for a child to master Theory of Mind, that is, awareness of others' mental states, in order to make or to understand assertions that carry evidential force. The meaning of evidentials does not make reference to states of knowledge of persons, but rather encodes relations between discourse, evidence and evaluation situations. On the other hand, when a Tibetan speaker asks a question, the form of the evidential used in the question must anticipate the kind of knowledge the interlocutor can access in reply. Full mastery of questions in Tibetan-speaking children does require attention to and representation of others' states of knowledge and belief.
The relationship between language, memory and evidentiality
Authors: Aydın Çağla
Published: July 2017

The present chapter overviews the influences of language on memory and suggestibility. A relation between language and memory can be sought at different levels. The discussion first focuses on the general (non-specific) effects of language on autobiographical memory. Recent work from our lab on bilingualism and remembering the past and the imagining the future are reviewed. Secondly, the role of the specific aspects of language (e.g, evidentiality) on memory and suggestibility are examined. Findings from these studies are discussed in the light of Aksu-Koç’s pioneering work from the 1980s, and her current take on the language-cognition interface.
Narrativity and mindreading revisited
Authors: Nicolopoulou Ageliki , Ünlütabak Burcu
Published: July 2017

This chapter reports on a study that compared young children’s understanding of false belief (FB) in picture-book stories and in standard FB tasks. Participants were 48 English-speaking American children from low-income backgrounds (ages 4, 5, and 6). Each child was read a commercially available storybook and asked a series of literal and inferential questions. Two FB tasks from a standard theory of mind (ToM) scale were also administered. Children’s FB understanding increased from ages 4–6 in both contexts, but the patterns of results were complex and distinct. Complementing standard FB tasks with systematic examination of children’s understanding and use of FBs embedded in narrative contexts can strengthen and enrich our own understanding of ToM and its development.
Nonfactual meanings in early use of evidentials in Turkish child-caregiver interactions
Authors: Uzundag Berna A. , Tasci Süleyman S. , Küntay Aylin C.
Published: July 2017

Previous and current observational and experimental studies conducted on Turkish evidentials mainly focus on reportative and inferential uses of the −mIş particle. Here we focused on its nonfactual usage in child-caregiver interaction where we examined a relatively large videotaped corpus of child-caregiver interactions of six children between 8 and 36 months of age. Almost half of the utterances in child’s speech (46.2%) and child-directed speech (50.2%) contained nonfactual information. Besides the previously documented nonfactual functions such as conveying folktales, myths, dreams, and jokes, we noticed that nonfactual utterances can be used to modulate the addressee’s behavior. Furthermore, we observed that children acquired nonfactual usage relatively early. Here, we discuss the emergence and the functions of the nonfactual usage.
Structural basis for activation of an archaeal ribonuclease P RNA by protein cofactors
Authors: Kimura Makoto
Published: July 2017

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) is an endoribonuclease that catalyzes the processing of the 5′-leader sequence of precursor tRNA (pre-tRNA) in all phylogenetic domains. We have found that RNase P in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 consists of RNase P RNA (PhopRNA) and five protein cofactors designated PhoPop5, PhoRpp21, PhoRpp29, PhoRpp30, and PhoRpp38. Biochemical characterizations over the past 10 years have revealed that PhoPop5 and PhoRpp30 fold into a heterotetramer and cooperate to activate a catalytic domain (C-domain) in PhopRNA, whereas PhoRpp21 and PhoRpp29 form a heterodimer and function together to activate a specificity domain (S-domain) in PhopRNA. PhoRpp38 plays a role in elevation of the optimum temperature of RNase P activity, binding to kink-turn (K-turn) motifs in two stem-loops in PhopRNA. This review describes the structural and functional information on P. horikoshii RNase P, focusing on the structural basis for the PhopRNA activation by the five RNase P proteins.
Crystal structure of a β-fructofuranosidase with high transfructosylation activity from Aspergillus kawachii
Authors: Nagaya Mika , Kimura Miyoko , Gozu Yoshifumi , Sato Shona , Hirano Katsuaki , Tochio Takumi , Nishikawa Atsushi , Tonozuka Takashi
Published: July 2017

β-Fructofuranosidases belonging to glycoside hydrolase family (GH) 32 are enzymes that hydrolyze sucrose. Some GH32 enzymes also catalyze transfructosylation to produce fructooligosaccharides. We found that Aspergillus kawachii IFO 4308 β-fructofuranosidase (AkFFase) produces fructooligosaccharides, mainly 1-kestose, from sucrose. We determined the crystal structure of AkFFase. AkFFase is composed of an N-terminal small component, a β-propeller catalytic domain, an α-helical linker, and a C-terminal β-sandwich, similar to other GH32 enzymes. AkFFase forms a dimer, and the dimerization pattern is different from those of other oligomeric GH32 enzymes. The complex structure of AkFFase with fructose unexpectedly showed that fructose binds both subsites −1 and +1, despite the fact that the catalytic residues were not mutated. Fructose at subsite +1 interacts with Ile146 and Glu296 of AkFFase via direct hydrogen bonds.
Outer nuclear membrane protein Kuduk modulates the LINC complex and nuclear envelope architecture
Authors: Ding Zhao-Ying , Wang Ying-Hsuan , Huang Yu-Cheng , Lee Myong-Chol , Tseng Min-Jen , Chi Ya-Hui , Huang Min-Lang
Published: July 2017

Linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes spanning the nuclear envelope (NE) contribute to nucleocytoskeletal force transduction. A few NE proteins have been found to regulate the LINC complex. In this study, we identify one, Kuduk (Kud), which can reside at the outer nuclear membrane and is required for the development of Drosophila melanogaster ovarian follicles and NE morphology of myonuclei. Kud associates with LINC complex components in an evolutionarily conserved manner. Loss of Kud increases the level but impairs functioning of the LINC complex. Overexpression of Kud suppresses NE targeting of cytoskeleton-free LINC complexes. Thus, Kud acts as a quality control mechanism for LINC-mediated nucleocytoskeletal connections. Genetic data indicate that Kud also functions independently of the LINC complex. Overexpression of the human orthologue TMEM258 in Drosophila proved functional conservation. These findings expand our understanding of the regulation of LINC complexes and NE architecture.
ThereIsa Special Problem of Scientific Representation
Authors: Boesch Brandon
Published: July 2017

Callender and Cohen argue that there is no need for a special account of the constitution of scientific representation. I argue that scientific representation is communal and therefore deeply tied to the practice in which it is embedded. The communal nature is accounted for bylicensing, the activities of scientific practice by which scientists establish a representation. A case study of the Lotka-Volterra model reveals how licensure is a constitutive element of the representational relationship. Thus, any account of the constitution of scientific representation must account for licensing, meaning that thereisa special problem of scientific representation.
Voltage-gated sodium channels in neocortical pyramidal neurons display Cole-Moore activation kinetics
Authors: Almog Mara , Barkai Tal , Lampert Angelika , Korngreen Alon
Published: July 2017

Exploring the properties of action potentials is a crucial step towards a better understanding of the computational properties of single neurons and neural networks. The voltage-gated sodium channel is a key player in action potential generation. A comprehensive grasp of the gating mechanism of this channel can shed light on the biophysics of action potential generation. Most models of voltage-gated sodium channels assume it obeys a concerted Hodgkin and Huxley kinetic gating scheme. Here we performed high resolution voltage-clamp experiments from nucleated patches extracted from the soma of layer 5 (L5) cortical pyramidal neurons in rat brain slices. We show that the gating mechanism does not follow traditional Hodgkin and Huxley kinetics and that much of the channel voltage-dependence is probably due to rapid closed-closed transitions that lead to substantial onset latency reminiscent of the Cole-Moore effect observed in voltage-gated potassium conductances. This may have key implications for the role of sodium channels in synaptic integration and action potential generation.
Multitasking by Polycomb response elements
Authors: Jaensch Elizabeth S. , Kundu Sharmistha , Kingston Robert E.
Published: July 2017

Development requires the expression of master regulatory genes necessary to specify a cell lineage. Equally significant is the stable and heritable silencing of master regulators that would specify alternative lineages. This regulated gene silencing is carried out by Polycomb group (PcG) proteins, which must be correctly recruited only to the subset of their target loci that requires lineage-specific silencing. A recent study by Erceg and colleagues (pp. 590–602) expands on a key aspect of that targeting: The same DNA elements that recruit PcG complexes to a repressed locus also encode transcriptional enhancers that function in different lineages where that locus must be expressed. Thus, PcG targeting elements overlap with enhancers.
Developing a psychotropic medication education group on a secure ward for men with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Sheehan Rory , Rochester John , Hafesji Fatima , Kyambadde Rita , Gravestock Shaun
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish and evaluate a psychotropic medication education group for men with intellectual disability on a secure psychiatric ward.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-disciplinary team was convened to oversee the project. A curriculum was developed that covered major classes of psychotropic drugs as well as broader themes related to taking medication and general wellbeing. Each group session incorporated a range of teaching methods supported by accessible materials. Evaluation was by qualitative and quantitative methods.

Findings

There was interest and enthusiasm for the group. Participant feedback was generally positive and most of those who completed the group reported achieving their personal learning goals. There was no significant difference in results of a medication knowledge test at baseline and at the end of the course. Feedback from group members and reflections of the course facilitators are discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this small-scale study may not be applicable to other groups or settings. Evaluation measures seemed unable to capture some elements of the group processes and outcomes.

Practical implications

Establishing and running a psychoeducational group on a low-secure ward for men with intellectual disabilities is possible and potentially valuable. Learning from this project will be useful for others considering group-based interventions for people with intellectual disability.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the limited literature describing interventions to improve medication knowledge in people with intellectual disability.
e-Business critical success factors: toward the development of an integrated success model
Authors: Tsironis Loukas K. , Gotzamani Katerina D. , Mastos Theofilos D.
Published: July 2017

Purpose

e-Business (e-B) organization is an integrated synergy of internet and supply chain. It is an organizational environment which consists of associations among suppliers, customers, work force and information technology. An important issue for an e-B organization is the comprehension of the critical factors that affect its success, in order to realize its full advantages and how it results in efficiency improvements of the organizations. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) that determine the successful implementation of e-B and second to develop an integrated e-B model based on the CSFs.

Design/methodology/approach

By following a quantitative approach, primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 174 Greek e-B firms. An initial exploratory factor analysis was conducted, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

Findings have shown that there was a direct association of the Resource Based View (RBV) on the supply chain view (SCV) of a firm, which in turn influenced the performance/results of an e-B organization. It is concluded that e-B performance results and value creation are linked to customers’ and partners’ orientation (SCV) and human resources and information technology (RBV).

Originality/value

The proposed framework contributes to the understanding of the successful implementation of e-B, by proposing a fifthfold framework. The proposed framework portrayed a very fundamental result, that the resourced based view and the SCV of the organization are the critical priorities and have a direct and positive affect on the performance and efficiency of the successful implementation of e-B.
Entrepreneurial potential in less innovative regions: the impact of social and cultural environment
Authors: García-Rodríguez Francisco J. , Gil-Soto Esperanza , Ruiz-Rosa Inés , Gutiérrez-Taño Desiderio
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role that the sociocultural, family and university environment play in the entrepreneurial intention of young people in a peripheral and less innovative region.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted the perspective of the theory of planned behavior and made an empirical study with a sample of 1,064 Spanish university students who voluntarily participated in the GUESSS Project answering an online questionnaire. A methodology based on structural equations was used employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling estimation technique.

Findings

The results show that the university environment directly influences attitude, self-confidence and motivation, and indirectly the students’ entrepreneurial intention. The social context also exerts a weak direct influence on the perceived attitudes or desires toward the option to start a business and indirectly on the intention.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper seems to confirm what previous literature highlighted in the terms of regional specificities on the link between innovation systems, the impact of entrepreneurial potential and economic development. In this sense, the university context can play an important role in generating improvements in the entrepreneurial intention’s antecedents of young people with greater potential for innovation in peripheral regions. Therefore, when it comes to defining policies to improve entrepreneurship in these regions, it seems that the establishment of entrepreneurship education and motivation programs in universities is a very effective tool to increase perceived attitude toward the option to start a new business.