One-dimensional fluids with second nearest-neighbor interactions

As is well known, one-dimensional systems with interactions restricted to first nearest neighbors admit a full analytically exact statistical-mechanical solution. This is essentially due to the fact that the knowledge of the first nearest-neighbor probability distribution function, $p_1(r)$, is enough to determine the structural and thermodynamic properties of the system. On the other hand, if the interaction between second nearest-neighbor particles is turned on, the analytically exact solution is lost. Not only the knowledge of $p_1(r)$ is not sufficient anymore, but even its determination becomes a complex many-body problem. In this work we systematically explore different approximate solutions for one-dimensional second nearest-neighbor fluid models. We apply those approximations to the square-well and the attractive two-step pair potentials and compare them with Monte Carlo simulations, finding an excellent agreement.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures; v2: more references adde

Correlation between circuital current, Cu(II) reduction and cellular electron transfer in EAB isolated from Cu(II)-reduced biocathodes of microbial fuel cells

The performance of four indigenous electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia JY1, Citrobacter sp. JY3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa JY5 and Stenotrophomonas sp. JY6) was evaluated for Cu(II) reduction on the cathodes of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). These EAB were isolated from well adapted mixed cultures on the MFC cathodes operated for Cu(II) reduction. The relationship between circuital current, Cu(II) reduction rate, and cellular electron transfer processes was investigated from a mechanistic point of view using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry. JY1 and JY5 exhibited a weak correlation between circuital current and Cu(II) reduction. A much stronger correlation was observed for JY3 followed by JY6, demonstrating the relationship between circuital current and Cu(II) reduction for these species. In the presence of electron transfer inhibitors (2,4-dinitrophenol or rotenone), significant inhibition on JY6 activity and a weak effect on JY1, JY3 and JY5 was observed, confirming a strong correlation between cellular electron transfer processes and either Cu(II) reduction or circuital current. This study provides evidence of the diverse functions played by these EAB, and adds to a deeper understanding of the capabilities exerted by diverse EAB associated with Cu(II) reduction

Electrosynthesis of acetate from inorganic carbon (HCO₃⁻) with simultaneous hydrogen production and Cd(II) removal in multifunctional microbial electrosynthesis systems (MES)

The simultaneous production of acetate from bicarbonate (from CO2 sequestration) and hydrogen gas, with concomitant removal of Cd(II) heavy metal in water is demonstrated in multifunctional metallurgical microbial electrosynthesis systems (MES) incorporating Cd(II) tolerant electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) (Ochrobactrum sp. X1, Pseudomonas sp. X3, Pseudomonas delhiensis X5, and Ochrobactrum anthropi X7). Strain X5 favored the production of acetate, while X7 preferred the production of hydrogen. The rate of Cd(II) removal by all EAB (1.20–1.32 mg/L/h), and the rates of acetate production by X5 (29.4 mg/L/d) and hydrogen evolution by X7 (0.0187 m3/m3/d) increased in the presence of a circuital current. The production of acetate and hydrogen was regulated by the release of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which also exhibited invariable catalytic activity toward the reduction of Cd(II) to Cd(0). The intracellular activities of glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and dehydrogenase were altered by the circuital current and Cd(II) concentration, and these regulated the products distribution. Such understanding enables the targeted manipulation of the MES operational conditions that favor the production of acetate from CO2 sequestration with simultaneous hydrogen production and removal/recovery of Cd(II) from metal-contaminated and organics-barren waters

Interface conditions in child language: a view from Mandarin Chinese

Knowing a language includes knowledge of several basic components - syntax, semantics, pragmatics and phonology. Each of these components has its own properties, but they also interact with one another. The interactions between these different levels of linguistic knowledge are called interface conditions. In recent years, the study of interface conditions has attracted increasing interest in both theoretical linguistics and psycholinguistics, since knowing how different linguistic representations interact is crucial to understanding how the language processing system operates in the human brain. This thesis by publication investigates the interface conditions as they are manifested in child language. Specifically, we look at how different levels of linguistic knowledge contribute to children's interpretation of three interface phenomena: focus interpretation, wh-quantification and scope assignment. The investigation of each interface phenomenon centres on the following questions. (i) What's the nature of linguistic representations underlying children's understanding of this interface phenomenon? (ii) To what extent do these representations differ from those of adults? (iii) What developmental processes underlie the differences between children and adults? Data from child Mandarin is reported to address these questions. Mandarin Chinese has some special properties, which are less observable in most other languages. This makes Mandarin particularly insightful for evaluating certain aspects of language development, including interface conditions. The reasons for this will be explained throughout the thesis. The thesis is structured as follows. Chapter 1 provides the introduction. Chapter 2 looks at focus identification in child Mandarin, concentrating on whether children adhere to syntactic constraints in computing the meanings of focus structures. Chapter 3 explores the role of prosody in the resolution of ambiguities by Mandarin-speaking children, focusing on children's use of phonological information (i.e., pitch accent and intonation) to arrive at an adult-like interpretation. Chapter 4 examines wh-quantification in child Mandarin, focusing on whether children are sensitive to the licensing environments for the non-interrogative use focusing on whether Mandarin-speaking children access both interpretations for sentences with a universal quantifier and negation. Chapter 6 summarizes the major findings of these studies and discusses their implications for current issues in the field of language acquisition

Estimation results of empirical panel coefficients in Central China.

Estimation results of empirical panel coefficients in Central China.</p

Calculation results of t value in Western China.

Calculation results of t value in Western China.</p

Robustness analysis results (t-value of the whole country).

Robustness analysis results (t-value of the whole country).</p

Children across cultures respond emotionally to the acoustic environment

Among human and non-human animals, the ability to respond rapidly to biologically significant events in the environment is essential for survival and development. Research has confirmed that human adult listeners respond emotionally to environmental sounds just as they understand the emotional connotations of speech prosody and music. However, it is unknown whether young children also respond emotionally to environmental sounds. Here, we report that changes in pitch, rate (i.e., playback speed), and intensity (i.e., amplitude) of environmental sounds trigger emotional responses in 4- and 5-year-old children, including sounds of human actions, animal calls, machinery, or natural phenomena such as wind and waves. This phenomenon was observed for children from the United States and China – countries with drastically different cultural traditions. We discuss theoretical frameworks that predict convergent emotional responses to music, speech, and environmental sounds, focusing on Charles Darwin’s hypothesis that speech and music originated from a common emotional signal system based on the imitation and modification of environmental sounds

Definition of variables.

Definition of variables.</p

Estimation results of overall empirical panel coefficient.

Note: *, **, and *** represent the significance level of 10%, 5%, and 1%, respectively, the same below.</p