Word Category Conversion Revisited: The Case of Adjectives and Participles in L1 and L2 German

One of the hypotheses about mental representation of conversion (i.e., zero-derivation) claims that converted forms are a product of a costly mental process that converts a word’s category into another one when needed, i.e., depending on the syntactic context in which the word appears. The empirical evidence for the claim is based primarily on self-paced reading experiments by Stolterfoht et al. (2010) in which they explored the assumed conversion of German verbs into adjectives in two syntactic contexts with past participles. In our priming study, we show that the effects that had been attributed to the conversion process are in fact frequency effects. In addition, based on our data we argue that past participles do not undergo any change in word class in either of the two syntactic contexts, which is consistent with, e.g., traditional German grammars. The same pattern of frequency effects was observed for German native speakers and advanced L2 German learners

Options for Transporting Russian Gas to Western Europe: A Game-theoretic Simulation Analysis

This paper examines the perspectives of Russian gas exports to Western Europe and the strategic options of the CIS gas transiting countries, namely Ukraine and Belarus.The development of a new transit corridor through Belarus (the Yamal-Europe pipeline), depriving Ukraine of its former monopoly, has modified the situation profoundly. The thrust of the paper is an analysis of the strategies that Ukraine and Belarus may pursue in transiting Russian gas: non-cooperative duopoly, cooperative duopoly, and individual or collective cooperation with Russia. Using a demand function for Western European gas imports from Russia, we estimate prices and quantities for gas transit, the expected profits for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, and the resulting import prices for Western Europe.The results indicate that Ukraine suffers a loss of several hundred million USD annually from the market entry of Belarus, Belarus has an incentive to increase its gas transit capacity to at least 56 billion cubic meters, and Russia's profits increase, in particular when it unites its gas sector with Belarus and Ukraine, a strategy pursued by Russia's Gazprom presently.F or Western Europe, all scenarios indicate an increase in welfare through the new pipeline, but also an increasing importance of gas imports from Russia.

Options for transporting Russian gas to Western Europe: A game-theoretic simulation analysis

This paper examines the perspectives of Russian gas exports to Western Europe and the strategic options of the CIS gas transiting countries, namely Ukraine and Belarus. The development of a new transit corridor through Belarus (the Yamal-Europe pipeline), depriving Ukraine of its former monopoly, has modified the situation profoundly. The thrust of the paper is an analysis of nthe strategies that Ukraine and Belarus may pursue in transiting Russian gas: non-cooperative duopoly, cooperative duopoly, and individual or collective cooperation with Russia. Using a demand function for Western European gas imports from Russia, we estimate prices and quantities for gas transit, the expected profits for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, and the resulting import prices for Western Europe. The results indicate that Ukraine suffers a loss of several hundred million USD annually from the market entry of Belarus, Belarus has an incentive to increase its gas transit capacity to at least 56 billion cubic meters, and Russia's profits increase, in particular when it unites its gas sector with Belarus and Ukraine. For Western Europe, all scenarios indicate an increase in welfare through the new pipeline, but also an increasing importance of gas imports from Russia. -- Der Beitrag untersucht die Perspektiven russischer Gasexporte nach Westeuropa und die strategischen Optionen der Gastransitländer Ukraine und Belarus. Durch den Neu- und Ausbau eines Gastransitkorridors durch Belarus (die Jamal-Europa-Pipeline) geht die bisherige Monopolstellung der Ukraine als Transitland verloren. Ziel der Arbeit ist die Modellierung und Quantifizierung unterschiedlicher Wettbewerbsstrategien, wie das nichtkooperative Duopol, das kooperative Duopol, oder die individuelle bzw. kollektive Kooperation der Transitländer mit Russland. Hierfür werden Exportpreise und mengen sowie die resultierenden Gewinne der Spieler geschätzt. Durch den Markteintritt von Belarus ergeben sich erhebliche Verluste für die Ukraine, während sich Belarus mit einem Ausbau seiner Kapazitäten auf 56 Mrd. m3 noch besser stellt. Russlands Gewinne steigen insbesondere durch die vertikale Integration der belarussischen und ukrainischen Gassektoren. Für Westeuropa legen die Ergebnisse erhebliche Wohlfahrtsgewinne durch den Pipelineausbau nahe, gleichzeitig aber auch eine gestiegene Abhängigkeit von Gasimporten aus Russland.Gas,pipelines,strategic behavior,CIS,Russia

Mental Representation of Word Family Structure: The Case of German Infinitives, Conversion Nouns and Other Morphologically Related Forms

Published: 27 July 2022This study investigates how two non-finite forms, infinitives and conversion nouns, are represented in the mind of L1 and L2 speakers and what is their relationship to other members of the corresponding word family. German native speakers and proficient German learners with Czech as L1 participated in four overt priming experiments involving a grammatical judgement task. We investigated the relationship between infinitives (Experiment 1) and conversion nouns (Experiment 2) and formally identical verbal or noun forms. We further focussed on the relationship between conversion nouns and regular nominal derivation forms with two derivational suffixes: -er and -ung (Experiments 3 and 4). Our results show that the two non-finite forms differ in their relations to other members of a word family and do not constitute a special class of non-finites as suggested in previous literature. While German infinitives seem to be closer related to finite verbal forms, conversion nouns behave in the same way as other regular nominal derivatives within the same word family. As for the German L1 and L2 contrast, no significant difference in the mental representation of the examined forms was found. This finding suggests that with respect to the explored phenomena, proficient learners rely on the same linguistic organisation as L1 speakers.This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation; grant number BO 3615/6-2 to DB) and by Universität Leipzig within the program of Open Access Publishing

Nanotribologische Untersuchungen von ultradünnen Wasserfilmen auf hydrophoben und hydrophilen Siliziumoberflächen

Abstract In micro- and nanotechnology, the presence of water has a strong influence, especially on the friction of contacting parts that move relative to one another. Using a scanning force microscope, the tribologically relevant interactions can be systematically examined as single point contacts. In this study, using an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning force microscope, the nanotribological characteristics -adhesion, friction and their long-term stability- of hydrophobic, H-terminated silicon and hydrophilic and hydrophobic silicon oxide surfaces were examined in model experiments performed as function of the water partial pressure. In all cases, an oxidized silicon tip was used as the counter probe. The friction force was characterized as a function of the normal force and sliding speed. The water partial pressure was controlled in various ways. From ambient pressure, it was reduced by evacuating the UHV chamber down to 1E-8 mbar and increased from UHV pressures by introducing water vapor into the vacuum chamber, thereby achieving pressures ranging from 1E-10 to 1E-5 mbar. The water film thickness was determined using distance dynamic force spectroscopy. This method is based on the analysis of amplitude and normal force during approach of a normally vibrating cantilever towards the sample. The friction of hydrophobic silicon and hydrophobic silicon oxide moving against an oxide covered silicon tip is independent of the water partial pressure. No water is initially present on both surfaces. However, due to repeated sliding in a water partial pressure environment, over time, both surfaces are converted to hydrophilic silicon oxide. Hydrophilic silicon oxide surfaces exhibit a strong dependence of the adhesion and friction on the water partial pressure. Starting from ambient conditions, decreasing the water partial pressure results in a gradual reduction in the water film thickness over three distinct regimes (from 2.6 over 0.7 nm to no detectable water) as well as of friction (from 500 over 200 to 20 nN for an external load of 60 nN) and adhesion (from 556 over 434 to 21 mJ/m²). The sliding speed characteristics similarly vary over three regimes. However, when starting from UHV (1E-10 mbar), increasing water partial pressure up to 1E-8 mbar results in a decrease of friction (from 15 to 14 nN) and adhesion (from 68 to 20 mJ/m²). Above water partial pressures of 1E-8 mbar, the friction (from 14 to 16 nN) and adhesion (from 20 to 154 mJ/m²) both increase with increasing water partial pressure. The values for the friction and adhesion minimum correspond to changes of the water partial pressure. The different time scales of adsorption and desorption occurring on surfaces result in a strong hysteresis in adhesion and friction with regard to the water partial pressure.Wasser hat einen großen Einfluss auf die Reibung bewegter Teile in der Mikro- und Nanotechnologie. Die Abhängigkeit der Reibung von der Wasserumgebung und der Oberflächenchemie kann mit dem Rasterkraftmikroskop an Einzelpunktkontakten untersucht werden. In Modellexperimenten wurden nanotribologische Eigenschaften -Reibung, Adhäsion und Langzeitstabilität- in Abhängigkeit vom Wasserpartialdruck untersucht. Die Messungen erfolgten an hydrophobem, wasserstoff-terminiertem Silizium sowie an hydrophilem und hydrophobem Siliziumoxid. Als Sonde wurde eine oxidierte Siliziumspitze verwendet. Die Reibungskraft wurde als Funktion der Normalkraft und der Gleitgeschwindigkeit charakterisiert. Der Wasserpartialdruck wurde durch Abpumpen der Vakuumkammer von Luftdruck bis 1E-8 mbar verringert und durch Einlass von Wasserdampf in die Vakuumkammer von 1E-10 bis 1E-5 mbar erhöht. Die Wasserschichtdicke wurde separat mit der dynamischen Kraftspektroskopie als Funktion des Abstandes bestimmt. Diese Methode basiert auf der Analyse der Amplitude und des Normalkraft-Anteils bei der Annäherung eines vertikal schwingenden Cantilevers an die Probe. Die Reibung von hydrophobem Silizium und hydrophobem Siliziumoxid ist unabhängig vom Wasserpartialdruck. Auf den Oberflächen ist kein Wasser vorhanden. Beide Oberflächen wandeln sich bei tribologischer Beanspruchung in einer wasserhaltigen Umgebung in hydrophiles Siliziumoxid um. Damit ist eine Veränderung der Reibung verbunden. Hydrophiles Siliziumoxid zeigte eine starke Abhängigkeit der Reibung und der Adhäsion vom Wasserpartialdruck. Während der Verringerung des Wasserpartialdruckes beginnend bei Luftdruck reduzieren sich Wasserschichtdicke (von 2,6 über 0,7 nm bis zu keinem messbaren Wasser), Reibung (von 500 über 200 bis zu 20 nN, angegeben für eine Normalkraft von 60 nN) und Oberflächenenergie (von 556 über 434 bis 21 mJ/m²) stufenweise über 3 Bereiche. Die Geschwindigkeitscharakteristik ändert sich ebenfalls über 3 Bereiche. Die Erhöhung des Wasserpartialdruckes ist bis 1E-8 mbar mit der Verringerung von Reibung (von 15 auf 14 nN) und Oberflächenenergie (von 68 auf 20 mJ/m²) verbunden. Für Drücke höher 1E-8 mbar steigen Reibung (von 14 auf 16 nN) und Oberflächenenergie (von 20 auf 154 mJ/m²) mit dem Wasserpartialdruck an. Diese Eigenschaften lassen sich mit den verschiedenen Zuständen der Wasseradsorption auf Siliziumoxid korrelieren. Die Minimalwerte für Reibung und Adhäsion stimmen bei Erhöhung und Verringerung des Wasserpartialdruckes überein. Die unterschiedlichen Zeitskalen für die Adsorption und Desorption von Wasser bewirken eine Hysterese für Adhäsion und Reibung bei Änderung des Wasserpartialdruckes

Symbiose als Begriff und Gegenstand der Soziologie

Der Begriff der Symbiose steht im Zentrum eines aktuellen Paradigmenwechsels in den Lebenswissenschaften, der die Soziologie sowohl empirisch als auch grundlagentheoretisch herausfordert. Denn in der neuen Aufmerksamkeit für symbiotische Beziehungen zeichnet sich nicht weniger als ein social turn innerhalb der Biologie ab. Darauf muss die Soziologie reagieren, indem sie sich der Symbiose gleichzeitig als Begriff und Gegenstand annimmt: Einerseits ist es an der Zeit, das Symbiosekonzept im Anschluss an ältere und neuere sozialwissenschaftliche Aneignungen (wieder) fester im soziologischen Theoriearsenal zu verankern. Andererseits sollte die Soziologie die Voraussetzungen und Folgen der lebenswissenschaftlichen Symbioseforschung zu einem Untersuchungsgegenstand machen. Es gilt zu analysieren, wie sich angeregt durch biologische Diskurse und biotechnologische Interventionen neue Formen der „(Sym)biopolitik“ (Stefan Helmreich) und neue symbiotische Kollektive ergeben

Fuzzy Lexical Representations in Adult Second Language Speakers

We propose the fuzzy lexical representations (FLRs) hypothesis that regards fuzziness as a core property of nonnative (L2) lexical representations (LRs). Fuzziness refers to imprecise encoding at different levels of LRs and interacts with input frequency during lexical processing and learning in adult L2 speakers. The FLR hypothesis primarily focuses on the encoding of spoken L2 words. We discuss the causes of fuzzy encoding of phonological form and meaning as well as fuzzy form-meaning mappings and the consequences of fuzzy encoding for word storage and retrieval. A central factor contributing to the fuzziness of L2 LRs is the fact that the L2 lexicon is acquired when the L1 lexicon is already in place. There are two immediate consequences of such sequential learning. First, L2 phonological categorization difficulties lead to fuzzy phonological form encoding. Second, the acquisition of L2 word forms subsequently to their meanings, which had already been acquired together with the L1 word forms, leads to weak L2 form-meaning mappings. The FLR hypothesis accounts for a range of phenomena observed in L2 lexical processing, including lexical confusions, slow lexical access, retrieval of incorrect lexical entries, weak lexical competition, reliance on sublexical rather than lexical heuristics in word recognition, the precedence of word form over meaning, and the prominence of detailed, even if imprecisely encoded, information about LRs in episodic memory. The main claim of the FLR hypothesis – that the quality of lexical encoding is a product of a complex interplay between fuzziness and input frequency – can contribute to increasing the efficiency of the existing models of LRs and lexical access

Ordnungspolitik und Treibhauseffekt: Kritische Anmerkungen zur Rolle der Bürgerpräferenzen

In der Aprilausgabe des WIRTSCHAFTSDIENST veröffentlichten wir einen Aufsatz von Michael Ahlheim und Ulrike Lehr über „Ordnungspolitik und Treibhauseffekt - Wo bleiben die Bürgerpräferenzen?"1. Hierzu eine Replik von Hermann Bartmann, Andreas Busch, Jan Schwaab und Nicola Simon-Opitz. Anschließend eine Erwiderung von Michael Ahlheim und Ulrike Lehr. --

Electrocatalysis of Lithium (Poly-) Sulfides in Organic Ether-Based Electrolytes

This work aims at identifying an effective electrocatalyst for polysulfide reactions to improve the electrode kinetics of the sulfur half-cell in liquid organic electrolytes for alkali-sulfur cells. To increase the charge and discharge rates and energy efficiency of the cell, functionalized electrocatalytic coatings have been prepared and their electrode kinetics have been measured. To the best of our knowledge, there is no extensive screening of electrocatalysts for the sulfur electrode in dimethoxyethane:1,3-dioxolane (DME:DOL) electrolytes. In order to identify a suitable electrocatalyst, apparent exchange current densities at various materials (Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Steel, glassy carbon, ITO, Ni, Pt, Ti, TiN, Zn) are evaluated in a polysulfide electrolyte using potentiodynamic measurements with a Butler-Volmer fit. The chemical stability and surface morphology changes after electrochemical measurements are assessed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results show that cobalt is a promising candidate with appropriate electrocatalytic properties for polysulfide reactions while being stable in the electrochemical environment, followed by chromium in terms of catalytic activity and stability. Sputtered TiN was found to be a very stable material with very low catalytic activity, a possible current collector for the cell

Gene expression noise in a complex artificial toxin expression system

Gene expression is an intrinsically stochastic process. Fluctuations in transcription and translation lead to cell-to-cell variations in mRNA and protein levels affecting cellular function and cell fate. Here, using fluorescence time-lapse microscopy, we quantify noise dynamics in an artificial operon in Escherichia coli, which is based on the native operon of ColicinE2, a toxin. In the natural system, toxin expression is controlled by a complex regulatory network;upon induction of the bacterial SOS response, ColicinE2 is produced (cea gene) and released (cel gene) by cell lysis. Using this ColicinE2-based operon, we demonstrate that upon induction of the SOS response noise of cells expressing the operon is significantly lower for the (mainly) transcriptionally regulated gene cea compared to the additionally post-transcriptionally regulated gene cel. Likewise, we find that mutations affecting the transcriptional regulation by the repressor LexA do not significantly alter the population noise, whereas specific mutations to post-transcriptionally regulating units, strongly influence noise levels of both genes. Furthermore, our data indicate that global factors, such as the plasmid copy number of the operon encoding plasmid, affect gene expression noise of the entire operon. Taken together, our results provide insights on how noise in a native toxin-producing operon is controlled and underline the importance of post-transcriptional regulation for noise control in this system