bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vehicle to grid system to design a centre node virtual unified power flow controller
Authors: Islam F.R. , Cirrincione M.
Published: June 2016

Centre node unified power flow controller can fulfil various power flow control objectives, such as the needs of reactive shunt and series compensation, phase shifting and ensure higher degree of control freedom. However, as they are expensive, they are not widely used. The potential of a low‐cost solution that utilises the capabilities of plug in electric vehicle (PEV) in vehicle‐to‐grid mode of operation for the design of a centre node virtual unified power flow controller (CVUPFC) using PEV charging stations is explained. Simulations are performed to establish that the proposed CVUPFC improves the power quality utilising PEV charging stations as DC bus for the converters with higher degree of freedom to control.
Stability and stabilisation of neutral stochastic delay Markovian jump systems
Authors: Chen Weimin , Xu Shengyuan , Zhang Baoyong , Qi Zhidong
Published: June 2016

This study investigates the stability and stabilisation problems for a class of neutral stochastic systems with Markovian jumping parameters. First, stability conditions are derived based on mode‐dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals. Second, a novel delay state‐feedback controller is considered to stabilise the stochastic system; novel conditions for designing desired controllers are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities. The results are then extended to the robust stabilisation problem for uncertain neutral Markovian jump systems. Finally, numerical examples and simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed design methods.
Decentralised event‐triggered consensus of double integrator multi‐agent systems with packet losses and communication delays
Authors: Garcia Eloy , Cao Yongcan , W. Casbeer David
Published: June 2016

The event‐triggered consensus problem with agents described by double integrator dynamics is addressed in this study. The authors consider the problem of non‐consistent packet losses where the broadcast channel from one agent to its neighbours can drop the event‐triggered packets of information, where the transmitting agent is unaware that the packet was not received and the receiving agents have no knowledge of the transmitted packet. They also consider the constraints associated with communication delays. In this study, they consider directed graphs, and they also relax the consistency on the packet dropouts and the delays. By relaxing the consistency they allow the dropouts and delays for a packet broadcast by one agent to be different for each receiving node. Under these constraints, an event‐triggered consensus protocol is designed for the agents to achieve consensus asymptotically while reducing transmissions of measurements. In addition, positive inter‐event times are obtained which guarantee that Zeno behaviour does not occur.
Robust H∞ controller design for polynomial fuzzy control systems by sum‐of‐squares approach
Authors: Yu Gwo‐Ruey , Huang Yu‐Chia , Cheng Chih‐Yung
Published: June 2016

This study presents the robust H∞ control of polynomial fuzzy systems when model uncertainties and external disturbances are simultaneously taken into account. Using a non‐quadratic Lyapunov function, two stability conditions were derived in the form of sum‐of‐squares (SOS). The proposed polynomial fuzzy controller possesses H∞ robust performance against norm‐bounded disturbances and uncertainties. Simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed SOS‐based stability conditions, which are more general than those of existing approaches.
Interleaved CSC converter‐based power factor corrected switched mode power supply for arc welding
Authors: Narula Swati , Singh Bhim , Bhuvaneshwari Gurumoorthy
Published: June 2016

This paper focuses on the design and development of power factor corrected (PFC) interleaved canonical switching cell (I‐CSC) converter‐based switched mode power supply (SMPS) for arc welding. By interleaving CSC converters, input current is shared amongst them so that high reliability and efficiency is obtained for high‐power applications. I‐CSC converter is designed to operate in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) to achieve unity power factor inherently at utility interface. DCM operation together with interleaving technique bring additional size and performance benefits such as reduced reverse recovery loss, less switching stress, high efficiency, etc. I‐CSC converter is followed by three full bridge buck converters in parallel to perform DC‐DC conversion and to provide galvanic isolation desired for safe operation during welding. The modularity of SMPS allows flexibility in current, voltage and power levels, usage of devices of lower rating and ease of maintenance. The proposed SMPS operates in constant voltage mode; however, during extreme overload condition it maintains constant current at the output to improve the weld bead quality. Test results confirm the effectiveness of proposed SMPS in maintaining power quality indices within the acceptable limits of international standards over wide load range while over‐current handling capability leads to improved welding performance.
High step‐up DC–DC converter with input current ripple cancellation
Authors: Naderi Ahmadreza , Abbaszadeh Karim
Published: June 2016

In this study, a new high step‐up dc–dc converter is proposed. The proposed converter has two switches that operate in two operational modes. In the first case, both switches are turned on simultaneously, where the voltage gain would be similar to cascaded boost converter but the input current ripple will not be removed. Thus, the high voltage conversion ratio can be achieved with a suitable duty‐cycle. In this case, the performance of the converter has been investigated in two continuous and discontinuous conduction modes. In the second case, two switches operate inversely. In this case, in addition to having high voltage conversion ratio, the input current ripple is removed by a pre‐selected duty cycle. The results of the steady‐state operation of the converter are studied in both discontinuous conduction mode and continuous conduction mode. Finally, a 100 W prototype of the proposed converter has been implemented in the laboratory for evaluating its performance.
Recovery rate affects the effective epidemic threshold with synchronous updating
Authors: Shu Panpan , Wang Wei , Tang Ming , Zhao Pengcheng , Zhang Yi-Cheng
Published: June 2016

Accurate identification of effective epidemic threshold is essential for understanding epidemic dynamics on complex networks. In this paper, we systematically study how the recovery rate affects the susceptible-infected-removed spreading dynamics on complex networks, where synchronous and asynchronous updating processes are taken into account. We derive the theoretical effective epidemic threshold and final outbreak size based on the edge-based compartmental theory. To validate the proposed theoretical predictions, extensive numerical experiments are implemented by using asynchronous and synchronous updating methods. When asynchronous updating method is used in simulations, recovery rate does not affect the final state of spreading dynamics. But with synchronous updating, we find that the effective epidemic threshold decreases with recovery rate, and final outbreak size increases with recovery rate. A good agreement between the theoretical predictions and the numerical results are observed on both synthetic and real-world networks. Our results extend the existing theoretical studies and help us to understand the phase transition with arbitrary recovery rate.
Synthesis of flat sticky hydrophobic carbon diamond-like films using atmospheric pressure Ar/CH4 dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Rincón R. , Hendaoui A. , de Matos J. , Chaker M.
Published: June 2016

An Ar/CH4 atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (AP-DBD) was used to synthesize sticky hydrophobic diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on glass surface. The film is formed with plasma treatment duration shorter than 30 s, and water contact angles larger than 90° together with contact angle hysteresis larger than 10° can be achieved. According to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy analysis, hydrocarbon functional groups are created on the glass substrate, producing coatings with low surface energy (∼35 mJ m−2) with no modification of the surface roughness. To infer the plasma processes leading to the formation of low energy DLC surfaces, optical emission spectroscopy was used. From the results, a direct relationship between the CH species present in the plasma and the carbon concentration in the hydrophobic layer was found, which suggests that the CH species are the precursors of DLC film growth. Additionally, the plasma gas temperature was measured to be below 350 K which highlights the suitability of using AP-DBD to treat thermo-sensitive surfaces.
Conformal array design on arbitrary polygon surface with transformation optics
Authors: Deng Li , Wu Yongle , Hong Weijun , Zhu Jianfeng , Peng Biao , Li Shufang
Published: June 2016

A transformation-optics based method to design a conformal antenna array on an arbitrary polygon surface is proposed and demonstrated in this paper. This conformal antenna array can be adjusted to behave equivalently as a uniformly spaced linear array by applying an appropriate transformation medium. An typical example of general arbitrary polygon conformal arrays, not limited to circular array, is presented, verifying the proposed approach. In summary, the novel arbitrary polygon surface conformal array can be utilized in array synthesis and beam-forming, maintaining all benefits of linear array.
Redefining Trial by Media
Authors: Statham Simon
Published: June 2016

Redefining Trial by Media: Towards a critical-forensic linguistic interface applies a range of linguistic models to recast trial by media not as a sensationalist and infrequent phenomenon, but as a systematic and routine process. Using critical discourse analysis and cognitive linguistic models, this book builds a Spectrum of Trial by Media which views juries in criminal trials as moulded by ideological media-made constructions of crime. The role of these media constructions is enhanced by the isolation levied on jurors by the linguistic composition of trial language, and reinforced by the language strategies of legal professionals in court. Critically deconstructing media portrayals of crime and forensically examining the language of criminal proceedings, this book offers a redefinition of trial by media which casts the role of the press as much more prevalent in the courtroom trial than is presently appreciated.
Why the ergative case in modal (in)transitive clauses? The historical evolution of aspect, modality, ergative and locative in Indo-Aryan
Authors: Montaut Annie
Published: June 2016

Hindi transitive verbs, contrary to Bengali verbs, require the ergative structure in the perfective aspect, an atypical feature for an Indo-European language, and are considered to display only surface ergativity, since most syntactic and discursive properties are attached to the agent. However its affinities with other locational predications in the dative, as well as the historical parallel rise of both pre-ergative and modal future patterns in Western Indo-Aryan, the paper develops Montaut’s earlier suggestions (1996, 2006), with an attempt to reconcile Benveniste’s well-known theory of the “possessive perfect” (1952) with Kurylowicz’s views on the parallel evolution of future and past in Romance and Persian languages (1960), and a study of ergative and dative new markers in various Indo-Aryan languages.
Ergative alignment in Western New Indo-Aryan languages from a historical perspective
Authors: Khokhlova Liudmila V.
Published: June 2016

This paper describes the syntactic development of three Western Indo-Aryan languages – Punjabi, Gujarati and Rajasthani. Historical changes in the ergative construction are described here as part of the changing syntactic systems of Western NIA languages. The perfect ergative system in Western New Indo-Aryan languages had developed by the time of Middle Indo-Aryan, when for the first time in the history of NIA the whole perfective domain was structured in accordance with the ergative pattern, implying ‘passive syntax without active counterpart’. The decline of ergativity in Western NIA went through three distinct stages. In the first of them the process of case merging resulted in the splitting of the consistently ergative case marking system into an ergative and a neutral one. The second stage is characterized by the introduction of special O-markers, which appeared first in the non-ergative and later in the ergative domain. As a result of this, there developed two more case marking systems – the accusative and the tripartite. The greatest divergence in syntactic behavior took place at the third stage of syntactic development, when each of the described languages selected its own ergative model. In contrast to the many different directions in the development of NPs’ coding properties, the controlling properties showed a great deal of similarity in the history of Western NIA.
Non-finite chain-medial clauses on the continuum of finiteness in Purepecha
Authors: Chamoreau Claudine
Published: June 2016

On the continuum of finiteness that can characterize clauses, Purepecha is one of the languages in which the predicates of both independent and dependent clauses are usually finite. Some non-finite dependent clauses have been observed. The predicate is converted to a non-finite form by means of the non-finite marker -ni, without independent specification of tense or aspect. The use of non-finite clauses in clause-chaining, especially chain-medial clauses in narratives, is a phenomenon that appears to be frequent. Its primary function is to maintain event coherence. Reference tracking is almost always possible, but in specific contexts a new reference may be introduced in non-finite chain-medial clauses (participant discontinuity). Temporal continuity is generally attested, although some exceptions have been found with utterance predicates. Non-finite chain-medial clauses seem to display more finiteness features than the other non-finite clauses. In this paper, I describe and discuss in detail the uses of non-finite chain-medial clauses and the position of these non-finite clauses on the continuum of finiteness in Purepecha.
Divergent regulation of functionally distinct γ-tubulin complexes during differentiation
Authors: Muroyama Andrew , Seldin Lindsey , Lechler Terry
Published: June 2016

Differentiation induces the formation of noncentrosomal microtubule arrays in diverse tissues. The formation of these arrays requires loss of microtubule-organizing activity (MTOC) at the centrosome, but the mechanisms regulating this transition remain largely unexplored. Here, we use the robust loss of centrosomal MTOC activity in the epidermis to identify two pools of γ-tubulin that are biochemically and functionally distinct and differentially regulated. Nucleation-competent CDK5RAP2–γ-tubulin complexes were maintained at centrosomes upon initial epidermal differentiation. In contrast, Nedd1–γ-tubulin complexes did not promote nucleation but were required for anchoring of microtubules, a previously uncharacterized activity for this complex. Cell cycle exit specifically triggered loss of Nedd1–γ-tubulin complexes, providing a mechanistic link connecting MTOC activity and differentiation. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that distinct γ-tubulin complexes regulate different microtubule behaviors at the centrosome and show that differential regulation of these complexes drives loss of centrosomal MTOC activity.
Participatory and Deliberative Approaches to Climate Change
Authors: Blue Gwendolyn
Published: June 2016

Participation by citizens and stakeholder groups is an important aspect of climate governance at the regional, national, international, and global levels. Increasing awareness of anthropogenic causes of climate change has fueled calls for democratic action and renewal that promise to enrich both existing and emerging forms of political engagement. Participation is not a panacea, however, and has many limitations. Three substantial critiques of participatory and deliberative approaches to climate change hinge on questions of power, authority, and opportunities for dissent. The climate system itself poses unique challenges to democratic governance. Accelerating rates of environmental change associated with climate change make past experience less applicable to current situations and complicate predicting the future even further. As such, participatory and deliberative approaches may need to be reconfigured to respond adequately to the challenges of climate change. Systems approaches broaden the scope of participation and deliberation, and innovative participatory methods are increasingly moving beyond narrow framings of climate change. As deliberative and participatory initiatives become more common, it is no longer a question of supporting or rejecting participatory forms of climate governance. Rather, questions need to address what kinds of consequences will occur and in whose interests certain participatory processes operate. Which social views and values are supported and which are marginalized, and what are the consequences of collective responses to this pressing environmental and social issue?
Argentine Intellectual Circles and the European Crisis of the 1930s
Authors: Nállim Jorge
Published: June 2016

Beginning in the second half of the 19th century, Argentina became closely linked to the North Atlantic world, as the founding fathers of the modern state established a political order modeled on liberal principles, developed a dynamic export economy, and presided over a large immigration—mainly from Spain and Italy. These processes provided the historical framework for the impact of the European crisis of the interwar years in Argentine cultural groups and debates in the 1930s. The cosmopolitan features of Argentine society and intellectual groups, the country’s political crisis in the 1930s, and the particularly heavy influence of the Spanish Civil War explain how the European situation and ideologies such as Fascism and anti-Fascism were processed in a variety of cultural publications and institutions.
Learnability and Learning Algorithms in Phonology
Authors: Tessier Anne-Michelle
Published: June 2016

Phonological learnability deals with the formal properties of phonological languages and grammars, which are combined with algorithms that attempt to learn the language-specific aspects of those grammars. The classical learning task can be outlined as follows: Beginning at a predetermined initial state, the learner is exposed to positive evidence of legal strings and structures from the target language, and its goal is to reach a predetermined end state, where the grammar will produce or accept all and only the target language’s strings and structures. In addition, a phonological learner must also acquire a set of language-specific representations for morphemes, words and so on—and in many cases, the grammar and the representations must be acquired at the same time.

Phonological learnability research seeks to determine how the architecture of the grammar, and the workings of an associated learning algorithm, influence success in completing this learning task, i.e., in reaching the end-state grammar. One basic question is about convergence: Is the learning algorithm guaranteed to converge on an end-state grammar, or will it never stabilize? Is there a class of initial states, or a kind of learning data (evidence), which can prevent a learner from converging? Next is the question of success: Assuming the algorithm will reach an end state, will it match the target? In particular, will the learner ever acquire a grammar that deems grammatical a superset of the target language’s legal outputs? How can the learner avoid such superset end-state traps? Are learning biases advantageous or even crucial to success?

In assessing phonological learnability, the analysist also has many differences between potential learning algorithms to consider. At the core of any algorithm is its update rule, meaning its method(s) of changing the current grammar on the basis of evidence. Other key aspects of an algorithm include how it is triggered to learn, how it processes and/or stores the errors that it makes, and how it responds to noise or variability in the learning data. Ultimately, the choice of algorithm is also tied to the type of phonological grammar being learned, i.e., whether the generalizations being learned are couched within rules, features, parameters, constraints, rankings, and/or weightings.
Tone
Authors: Remijsen Bert
Published: June 2016

When the phonological form of a morpheme—a unit of meaning that cannot be decomposed further into smaller units of meaning—involves a particular melodic pattern as part of its sound shape, this morpheme is specified for tone. In view of this definition, phrase- and utterance-level melodies—also known as intonation—are not to be interpreted as instances of tone. That is, whereas the question “Tomorrow?” may be uttered with a rising melody, this melody is not tone, because it is not a part of the lexical specification of the morpheme tomorrow. A language that presents morphemes that are specified with specific melodies is called a tone language. It is not the case that in a tone language every morpheme, content word, or syllable would be specified for tone. Tonal specification can be highly restricted within the lexicon. Examples of such sparsely specified tone languages include Swedish, Japanese, and Ekagi (a language spoken in the Indonesian part of New Guinea); in these languages, only some syllables in some words are specified for tone. There are also tone languages where each and every syllable of each and every word has a specification. Vietnamese and Shilluk (a language spoken in South Sudan) illustrate this configuration. Tone languages also vary greatly in terms of the inventory of phonological tone forms. The smallest possible inventory contrasts one specification with the absence of specification. But there are also tone languages with eight or more distinctive tone categories. The physical (acoustic) realization of the tone categories is primarily fundamental frequency (F0), which is perceived as pitch. However, often other phonetic correlates are also involved, in particular voice quality. Tone plays a prominent role in the study of phonology because of its structural complexity. That is, in many languages, the way a tone surfaces is conditioned by factors such as the segmental composition of the morpheme, the tonal specifications of surrounding constituents, morphosyntax, and intonation. On top of this, tone is diachronically unstable. This means that, when a language has tone, we can expect to find considerable variation between dialects, and more of it than in relation to other parts of the sound system.
Language Contact in the Sahara
Authors: Souag Lameen
Published: June 2016

As might be expected from the difficulty of traversing it, the Sahara Desert has been a fairly effective barrier to direct contact between its two edges; trans-Saharan language contact is limited to the borrowing of non-core vocabulary, minimal from south to north and mostly mediated by education from north to south. Its own inhabitants, however, are necessarily accustomed to travelling desert spaces, and contact between languages within the Sahara has often accordingly had a much greater impact. Several peripheral Arabic varieties of the Sahara retain morphology as well as vocabulary from the languages spoken by their speakers’ ancestors, in particular Berber in the southwest and Beja in the southeast; the same is true of at least one Saharan Hausa variety. The Berber languages of the northern Sahara have in turn been deeply affected by centuries of bilingualism in Arabic, borrowing core vocabulary and some aspects of morphology and syntax. The Northern Songhay languages of the central Sahara have been even more profoundly affected by a history of multilingualism and language shift involving Tuareg, Songhay, Arabic, and other Berber languages, much of which remains to be unraveled. These languages have borrowed so extensively that they retain barely a few hundred core words of Songhay vocabulary; those loans have not only introduced new morphology but in some cases replaced old morphology entirely. In the southeast, the spread of Arabic westward from the Nile Valley has created a spectrum of varieties with varying degrees of local influence; the Saharan ones remain almost entirely undescribed. Much work remains to be done throughout the region, not only on identifying and analyzing contact effects but even simply on describing the languages its inhabitants speak.
Compounding in Morphology
Authors: ten Hacken Pius
Published: June 2016

Compounding is a word formation process based on the combination of lexical elements (words or stems). In the theoretical literature, compounding is discussed controversially, and the disagreement also concerns basic issues. In the study of compounding, the questions guiding research can be grouped into four main areas, labeled here as delimitation, classification, formation, and interpretation. Depending on the perspective taken in the research, some of these may be highlighted or backgrounded.

In the delimitation of compounding, one question is how important it is to be able to determine for each expression unambiguously whether it is a compound or not. Compounding borders on syntax and on affixation. In some theoretical frameworks, it is not a problem to have more typical and less typical instances, without a precise boundary between them. However, if, for instance, word formation and syntax are strictly separated and compounding is in word formation, it is crucial to draw this borderline precisely. Another question is which types of criteria should be used to distinguish compounding from other phenomena. Criteria based on form, on syntactic properties, and on meaning have been used. In all cases, it is also controversial whether such criteria should be applied crosslinguistically.

In the classification of compounds, the question of how important the distinction between the classes is for the theory in which they are used poses itself in much the same way as the corresponding question for the delimitation. A common classification uses headedness as a basis. Other criteria are based on the forms of the elements that are combined (e.g., stem vs. word) or on the semantic relationship between the components. Again, whether these criteria can and should be applied crosslinguistically is controversial.

The issue of the formation rules for compounds is particularly prominent in frameworks that emphasize form-based properties of compounding. Rewrite rules for compounding have been proposed, generalizations over the selection of the input form (stem or word) and of linking elements, and rules for stress assignment. Compounds are generally thought of as consisting of two components, although these components may consist of more than one element themselves. For some types of compounds with three or more components, for example copulative compounds, a nonbinary structure has been proposed.

The question of interpretation can be approached from two opposite perspectives. In a semasiological perspective, the meaning of a compound emerges from the interpretation of a given form. In an onomasiological perspective, the meaning precedes the formation in the sense that a form is selected to name a particular concept. The central question in the interpretation of compounds is how to determine the relationship between the two components. The range of possible interpretations can be constrained by the rules of compounding, by the semantics of the components, and by the context of use. A much-debated question concerns the relative importance of these factors.
Psycholinguistic Approaches to Morphology: Theoretical Issues
Authors: Gagné Christina L.
Published: June 2016

Psycholinguistics is the study of how language is acquired, represented, and used by the human mind; it draws on knowledge about both language and cognitive processes. A central topic of debate in psycholinguistics concerns the balance between storage and processing. This debate is especially evident in research concerning morphology, which is the study of word structure, and several theoretical issues have arisen concerning the question of how (or whether) morphology is represented and what function morphology serves in the processing of complex words. Five theoretical approaches have emerged that differ substantially in the emphasis placed on the role of morphemic representations during the processing of morphologically complex words. The first approach minimizes processing by positing that all words, even morphologically complex ones, are stored and recognized as whole units, without the use of morphemic representations. The second approach posits that words are represented and processed in terms of morphemic units. The third approach is a mixture of the first two approaches and posits that a whole-access route and decomposition route operate in parallel. A fourth approach posits that both whole word representations and morphemic representations are used, and that these two types of information interact. A fifth approach proposes that morphology is not explicitly represented, but rather, emerges from the co-activation of orthographic/phonological representations and semantic representations. These competing approaches have been evaluated using a wide variety of empirical methods examining, for example, morphological priming, the role of constituent and word frequency, and the role of morphemic position. For the most part, the evidence points to the involvement of morphological representations during the processing of complex words. However, the specific way in which these representations are used is not yet fully known.
Second Language Acquisition of Japanese
Authors: Minami Masahiko
Published: June 2016

Empirical and theoretical research on language has recently experienced a period of extensive growth. Unfortunately, however, in the case of the Japanese language, far fewer studies—particularly those written in English—have been presented on adult second language (L2) learners and bilingual children. As the field develops, it is increasingly important to integrate theoretical concepts and empirical research findings in second language acquisition (SLA) of Japanese, so that the concepts and research can be eventually applied to educational practice. This article attempts to: (a) address at least some of the gaps currently existing in the literature, (b) deal with important topics to the extent possible, and (c) discuss various problems with regard to adult learners of Japanese as an L2 and English–Japanese bilingual children. Specifically, the article first examines the characteristics of the Japanese language. Tracing the history of SLA studies, this article then deliberately touches on a wide spectrum of domains of linguistic knowledge (e.g., phonology and phonetics, morphology, lexicon, semantics, syntax, discourse), context of language use (e.g., interactive conversation, narrative), research orientations (e.g., formal linguistics, psycholinguistics, social psychology, sociolinguistics), and age groups (e.g., children, adults). Finally, by connecting past SLA research findings in English and recent/present concerns in Japanese as SLA with a focus on the past 10 years including corpus linguistics, this article provides the reader with an overview of the field of Japanese linguistics and its critical issues.
Semantic Change
Authors: Traugott Elizabeth Closs
Published: June 2016

Traditional approaches to semantic change typically focus on outcomes of meaning change and list types of change such as metaphoric and metonymic extension, broadening and narrowing, and the development of positive and negative meanings. Examples are usually considered out of context, and are lexical members of nominal and adjectival word classes.

However, language is a communicative activity that is highly dependent on context, whether that of the ongoing discourse or of social and ideological changes. Much recent work on semantic change has focused, not on results of change, but on pragmatic enabling factors for change in the flow of speech. Attention has been paid to the contributions of cognitive processes, such as analogical thinking, production of cues as to how a message is to be interpreted, and perception or interpretation of meaning, especially in grammaticalization. Mechanisms of change such as metaphorization, metonymization, and subjectification have been among topics of special interest and debate. The work has been enabled by the fine-grained approach to contextual data that electronic corpora allow.
Second Language Processing and Linguistic Theory
Authors: Archibald John
Published: June 2016

The distinction between representations and processes is central to most models of the cognitive science of language. Linguistic theory informs the types of representations assumed, and these representations are what are taken to be the targets of second language acquisition. Epistemologically, this is often taken to be knowledge, or knowledge-that. Techniques such as Grammaticality Judgment tasks are paradigmatic as we seek to gain insight into what a learner’s grammar looks like. Learners behave as if certain phonological, morphological, or syntactic strings (which may or may not be target-like) were well-formed. It is the task of the researcher to understand the nature of the knowledge that governs those well-formedness beliefs.

Traditional accounts of processing, on the other hand, look to the real-time use of language, either in production or perception, and invoke discussions of skill or knowledge-how. A range of experimental psycholinguistic techniques have been used to assess these skills: self-paced reading, eye-tracking, ERPs, priming, lexical decision, AXB discrimination, and the like. Such online measures can show us how we “do” language when it comes to activities such as production or comprehension.

There has long been a connection between linguistic theory and theories of processing as evidenced by the work of Berwick (The Grammatical Basis of Linguistic Performance). The task of the parser is to assign abstract structure to a phonological, morphological, or syntactic string; structure that does not come directly labeled in the acoustic input. Such processing studies as the Garden Path phenomenon have revealed that grammaticality and processability are distinct constructs.

In some models, however, the distinction between grammar and processing is less distinct. Phillips says that “parsing is grammar,” while O’Grady builds an emergentist theory with no grammar, only processing. Bayesian models of acquisition, and indeed of knowledge, assume that the grammars we set up are governed by a principle of entropy, which governs other aspects of human behavior; knowledge and skill are combined. Exemplar models view the processing of the input as a storing of all phonetic detail that is in the environment, not storing abstract categories; the categories emerge via a process of comparing exemplars.

Linguistic theory helps us to understand the processing of input to acquire new L2 representations, and the access of those representations in real time.
Creole Languages
Authors: Muysken Pieter
Published: June 2016

Creole languages have a curious status in linguistics, and at the same time they often have very low prestige in the societies in which they are spoken. These two facts may be related, in part because they circle around notions such as “derived from” or “simplified” instead of “original.” Rather than simply taking the notion of “creole” as a given and trying to account for its properties and origin, this essay tries to explore the ways scholars have dealt with creoles. This involves, in particular, trying to see whether we can define “creoles” as a meaningful class of languages. There is a canonical list of languages that most specialists would not hesitate to call creoles, but the boundaries of the list and the criteria for being listed are vague. It also becomes difficult to distinguish sharply between pidgins and creoles, and likewise the boundaries between some languages claimed to be creoles and their lexifiers are rather vague.

Several possible criteria to distinguish creoles will be discussed. Simply defining them as languages of which we know the point of birth may be a necessary, but not sufficient, criterion. Displacement is also an important criterion, necessary but not sufficient. Mixture is often characteristic of creoles, but not crucial, it is argued. Essential in any case is substantial restructuring of some lexifier language, which may take the form of morphosyntactic simplification, but it is dangerous to assume that simplification always has the same outcome. The combination of these criteria—time of genesis, displacement, mixture, restructuring—contributes to the status of a language as creole, but “creole” is far from a unified notion. There turn out to be several types of creoles, and then a whole bunch of creole-like languages, and they differ in the way these criteria are combined with respect to them.

Thus the proposal is made here to stop looking at creoles as a separate class, but take them as special cases of the general phenomenon that the way languages emerge and are used to a considerable extent determines their properties. This calls for a new, socially informed typology of languages, which will involve all kinds of different types of languages, including pidgins and creoles.
Social Work Education and Regulation in Australia
Authors: Healy Karen
Published: June 2016

This article provides an overview and analysis of social work education and professional standards in Australia. The professional education and practice standards are set and monitored by a single, professional body, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). In Australia, there is no legislation protecting the title of social worker, and there is limited government involvement in regulating educational standards and professional practice. In this article, I outline the characteristics of the educational and professional standards for social workers set by the AASW. I will explain the Australian regulatory environment for health and human service professions and discuss how this contributes to conditions in which the AASW plays a central role in the regulation of social work education and practice standards in Australia. I will outline the opportunities and challenges posed by the highly deregulated environment and the consequent central role of the AASW in standard setting and monitoring. The article concludes with a discussion of the strategies currently being pursued via the AASW to achieve government authorized regulation of social workers.
Germinated Wheat: Phytochemical Composition and Mixing Characteristics
Authors: Ohm Jae‐Bom , Lee Chiwon W. , Cho Kyongshin
Published: June 2016

Germinated grain has been gaining popularity owing to its beneficial effect on human health. In this research, whole wheat samples obtained after three days and five days of germination were analyzed for biochemical components and mixing characteristics. Three days of germination caused severe initial degradation of SDS‐insoluble glutenin macropolymers, which was accompanied by deterioration of mixing characteristics. Proteolysis during germination resulted in a significant increase of free amino acid concentration. For example, free asparagine concentration increased significantly after five days of germination. γ‐Aminobutyric acid concentration, which was undetectable in nongerminated grain, also increased substantially during germination. Phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity level were elevated exponentially during germination, showing a high linear correlation between them (r = 0.999, P < 0.05). These findings indicate that germinated wheat flour may be a valuable ingredient for functional foods because of its increased levels of certain phytochemical components that are beneficial to human health.
Cake Baking with Alternative Carbohydrates for Potential Sucrose Replacement. II. Functionality of Healthful Oligomers and Their Effects on High‐Ratio Cake‐Baking Performance
Authors: Kweon Meera , Slade Louise , Levine Harry
Published: June 2016

In follow‐up to high‐ratio cake baking with small sugars as alternative carbohydrates for potential sucrose replacement, sucrose and two healthful, lower‐glycemic‐impact carbohydrate oligomers (i.e., isomaltulose monohydrate and Mylose 351 syrup/Glucodry 314 powder) were used to explore the effects of the sucrose alternatives on results from solvent retention capacity (SRC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rapid viscoanalysis (RVA), and cake baking, including time‐lapse photographic analysis. SRC values for chlorinated soft wheat flour in Glucodry 314 and Mylose 351 solutions were higher than those in sucrose and isomaltulose solutions. Starch gelatinization and pasting onset, observed from DSC and RVA results, respectively, were retarded by sucrose and the alternative sugars, compared with water alone. Cakes formulated with the sucrose alternatives produced equivalent or superior product geometry (i.e., higher cake center height and shape factor) to those made with sucrose. Texture data showed that a cake formulated with as‐is isomaltulose was similar to that made with sucrose. Overall results suggested that isomaltulose could be used successfully to produce a high‐ratio cake with lower glycemic impact and lower calorie content, and that Glucodry 314 and Mylose 351 also could be used to produce cakes with modified texture and decreased sugar. Time‐lapse photographic analysis showed that predissolution of isomaltulose was detrimental to cake baking, owing to much earlier expansion and collapse, compared with as‐is isomaltulose.
Spatial Distribution of Coffee Wilt Disease Under Roguing and Replanting Conditions: A Case Study from Kaweri Estate in Uganda
Authors: Pinard F. , Makune S. E. , Campagne P. , Mwangi J.
Published: June 2016

Based on time and spatial dynamic considerations, this study evaluates the potential role of short- and long-distance dispersal in the spread of coffee wilt disease (CWD) in a large commercial Robusta coffee estate in Uganda (Kaweri, 1,755 ha) over a 4-year period (2008 to 2012). In monthly surveys, total disease incidence, expansion of infection foci, and the occurrence of isolated infected trees were recorded and submitted to spatial analysis. Incidence was higher and disease progression faster in old coffee plantings compared with young plantings, indicating a lack of efficiency of roguing for reducing disease development in old plantings. At large spatial scale (approximately 1 km), Moran indices (both global and local) revealed the existence of clusters characterized by contrasting disease incidences. This suggested that local environmental conditions were heterogeneous or there were spatial interactions among blocks. At finer spatial scale (approximately 200 m), O-ring statistics revealed positive correlation between distant infection sites across distances as great as 60 m. Although these observations indicate the role of short-distance dispersal in foci expansion, dispersal at greater distances (>20 m) appeared to also contribute to both initiation of new foci and disease progression at coarser spatial scales. Therefore, our results suggested the role of aerial dispersal in CWD progression.
Angioedema associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Authors: Giavina-Bianchi Pedro , Aun Marcelo Vivolo , Jares Edgardo José , Kalil Jorge
Published: June 2016

Purpose of review

The review critically assesses the different phenotypes of angioedemas associated with NSAIDs. Angioedemas exacerbated or induced by NSAIDs have high morbidity and, when they affect the larynx, can lead to death by asphyxiation.

Recent findings

Angioedema can present as a manifestation of a syndrome such as anaphylaxis or it can be a separate entity, which comprises different forms that can be diagnosed based on specific criteria. NSAIDs are the drugs most used worldwide and they are also one of the leading causes of angioedema.

The manuscript addresses the pathophysiology and pharmacogenetics of angioedema, reviews its classification and assesses the diagnosis and management of angioedemas exacerbated and induced by NSAIDs.
Chronic Critical Illness in Infants and Children: A Speculative Synthesis on Adapting ICU Care to Meet the Needs of Long-Stay Patients
Authors: Marcus Katherine L. , Henderson Carrie M. , Boss Renee D.
Published: June 2016

Objectives:

In this review, we examine features of ICU systems and ICU clinician training that can undermine continuity of communication and longitudinal guidance for decision making for chronically critically ill infants and children. Drawing upon a conceptual model of the dynamic interactions between patients, families, clinicians, and ICU systems, we propose strategies to promote longitudinal decision making and improve communication for infants and children with prolonged ICU stays.

Data Sources:

We searched MEDLINE and PubMed from inception to September 2015 for English-language articles relevant to chronic critical illness, particularly of pediatric patients. We also reviewed bibliographies of relevant studies to broaden our search.

Study Selection:

Two authors (physicians with experience in pediatric neonatology, critical care, and palliative care) made the final selections.

Data Extraction:

We critically reviewed the existing data and models of care to identify strategies for improving ICU care of chronically critically ill children.

Data Synthesis:

Utilizing the available data and personal experience, we addressed concerns related to family perspectives, ICU processes, and issues with ICU training that shape longitudinal decision making.

Conclusions:

As the number of chronically critically ill infants and children increases, specific communication and decision-making models targeted at this population could improve the feedback between acute, daily ICU decisions and the patient’s overall goals of care. Adaptations to ICU systems of care and ICU clinician training will be essential components of this progress.
Polygenic scores via penalized regression on summary statistics
Authors: Heng Mak Timothy Shin , Porsch Robert Milan , Choi Shing Wan , Zhou Xueya , Sham Pak Chung
Published: June 2016

Polygenic scores (PGS) summarize the genetic contribution of a person’s genotype to a disease or phenotype. They can be used to group participants into different risk categories for diseases, and are also used as covariates in epidemiological analyses. A number of possible ways of calculating polygenic scores have been proposed, and recently there is much interest in methods that incorporate information available in published summary statistics. As there is no inherent information on linkage disequilibrium (LD) in summary statistics, a pertinent question is how we can make use of LD information available elsewhere to supplement such analyses. To answer this question we propose a method for constructing PGS using summary statistics and a reference panel in a penalized regression framework, which we call lassosum. We also propose a general method for choosing the value of the tuning parameter in the absence of validation data. In our simulations, we showed that pseudovalidation often resulted in prediction accuracy that is comparable to using a dataset with validation phenotype and was clearly superior to the conservative option of setting the tuning parameter of lassosum to its lowest value. We also showed that lassosum achieved better prediction accuracy than simple clumping andp-value thresholding in almost all scenarios. It was also substantially faster and more accurate than the recently proposed LDpred.