The semantics and morphology of Mixtec mood and aspect

From the introduction: This study presents a relatively detailed description of the grammatical categories of mood and aspect in three Mixtec languages. Our goals include morphology in a broad sense, covering both meaning and form. Our focus is a grammatical category known in Mixtec studies as \u27aspect\u27, which distinguishes three forms of every verb, generally called completive, continuative, and potential. We present a view of the system that differs somewhat from previous work, suggesting that the system is primarily modal, not aspectual in character. Partly, this is just a matter of how terms like \u27mood\u27 and \u27aspect\u27 are defined, but there is a more fundamental difference. We would like to suggest that the system is best analyzed in terms of two binary divisions, one between realis and irrealis mood, and a second within realis mood between perfective and imperfective aspect. We believe this leads to an insightful understanding of the meaning and usage of these categories, and also of their formal expression, inasmuch as it mirrors their semantic structure. In the process, we are also able to give a first description of this system in three previously unstudied Mixtec languages. Our perspective is a comparative one, concentrating on those characteristics that are common to all three languages, and especially those which are found throughout Mixtec

The Dielectric Constant and Specific Conductance of Liquid Hydrogen Sulphide at 194.5° K

The following values have been reported for the specific conductance of liquid hydrogen sulphide. 0.1x10-6 ohm-1 cm3 - a-c method - Steel, Mcintosh & Archibald; less than 4x10-7 ohm-1 cm3 - d.c. method - Magri; 1x10-11 ohm-1 cm3 - d.c. method - Quam & Wilkinson; 3.7x10-11 ohm-1 cm3 - d.c. method - Satwaleker, Butler & Wilkinson

Intraspecific and biogeographical variation in foliar fungal communities and pathogen damage of native and invasive Phragmites australis

AimRecent research has highlighted that the relationship between species interactions and latitude can differ between native and invasive plant taxa, generating biogeographical heterogeneity in community resistance to plant invasions. In the first study with foliar pathogens, we tested whether co‐occurring native and invasive lineages of common reed (Phragmites australis) exhibit non‐parallel latitudinal gradients in foliar fungal communities, pathogen susceptibility and damage, and whether these biogeographical patterns can influence the success of invasion.LocationNorth America.Time period2015–2017.Major taxa studiedPerennial grass P. australis.MethodsWe surveyed 35 P. australis field populations, spanning 17° latitude and comprising four phylogeographical lineages, including one endemic to North America and one invasive from Europe. For each population, we quantified the percentage of leaf pathogen damage and cultured fungi from diseased leaves, which we identified using molecular tools. To assess whether latitudinal gradients in pathogen damage had a genetic basis, we inoculated plants from 73 populations with four putative pathogens in a complementary common garden experiment and measured P. australis susceptibility (i.e., diseased leaf area).ResultsWe isolated 84 foliar fungal taxa. Phragmites australis lineage influenced fungal community composition but not diversity. Despite the invasive European P. australis lineage being the least susceptible to three of the four pathogens tested in the common garden experiment, pathogen damage in the field was similar between native and invasive lineages, providing no evidence that release from foliar pathogens contributes to the success of invasion. Genetically based latitudinal gradients in pathogen susceptibility observed in the common garden were isolate specific and obscured by local environmental conditions in the field, where pathogen damage was threefold higher for northern compared with southern populations, regardless of lineage.Main conclusionsOur results highlight that host plant lineage and genetically based biogeographical gradients strongly influence foliar fungal communities and pathogen susceptibility, but do not translate to patterns of pathogen damage observed in the field.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155999/1/geb13097.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155999/2/geb13097_am.pd

Observatory's linguistic landscape: semiotic appropriation and the reinvention of space

Using a longitudinal ethnographic study of the linguistic landscape (LL) in Observatory's business corridor of Lower Main Road, the paper explores changes brought about by the influx of immigrant Africans, their artefacts and language practices. The paper uses the changes in the LL over time and the development of an "African Corner" within Lower Main Road, to illustrate the appropriation of space and the unpredictability, which comes along with highly mobile, technological and multicultural citizens. It is argued that changes in the LL are part of the act of claiming and appropriating space wherein space becomes summarily recontexualized and hence reinvented and "owned" by new actors. It is also argued that space ownership can be concealed through what we have called "brand anonymity" strategies in which the identity of the owner is deliberately concealed behind global brands. We conclude that space is pliable and mobile, and that, it is the people within space who carve out new social practices in their appropriated space.IBS

Adaptation of a Vocabulary Test from British Sign Language to American Sign Language

This study describes the adaptation process of a vocabulary knowledge test for British Sign Language (BSL) into American Sign Language (ASL) and presents results from the first round of pilot testing with twenty deaf native ASL signers. The web-based test assesses the strength of deaf children’s vocabulary knowledge by means of different mappings of phonological form and meaning of signs. The adaptation from BSL to ASL involved nine stages, which included forming a panel of deaf/hearing experts, developing a set of new items and revising/replacing items considered ineffective, and piloting the new version. Results provide new evidence in support of the use of this methodology for assessing sign language, making a useful contribution toward the availability of tests to assess deaf children’s signed language skills

Axial behavior of reinforced concrete short columns strengthened with wire rope and T-shaped steel plate units.

yesThis paper presents a relatively simple column strengthening procedure using unbonded wire rope and T-shaped steel plate units. Twelve strengthened columns and an unstrengthened control column were tested to failure under concentric axial load to explore the significance and shortcomings of the proposed strengthening technique. The main variables investigated were the volume ratio of wire ropes as well as geometrical size and configuration of T-shaped steel plates. Axial load capacity and ductility ratio of columns tested were compared with predictions obtained from the equation specified in ACI 318-05 and models developed for conventionally tied columns, respectively. The measured axial load capacities of all strengthened columns were higher than predictions obtained from ACI 318-05, indicating that the ratio of the measured and predicted values increased with the increase of volume ratio of wire ropes and flange width of T-shaped steel plates. In addition, at the same lateral reinforcement index, a much higher ductility ratio was exhibited by strengthened columns having a volume ratio of wire ropes above 0·0039 than tied columns. The ductility ratio of strengthened columns tested increased with the increase of flange width, thickness, and web height of T-shaped steel plates. A mathematical model for the prediction of stress–strain characteristics of confined concrete using the proposed strengthening technique is developed, that was in good agreement with test results

Oak Ridge National Laboratory West End Treatment Facility simulated sludge vitrification demonstration, Revision 1

Technologies are being developed by the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Nuclear Facility sites to convert hazardous and mixed wastes to a form suitable for permanent disposal. Vitrification, which has been declared the Best Demonstrated Available Technology for high-level radioactive waste disposal by the EPA, is capable of producing a highly durable wasteform that minimizes disposal volumes through organic destruction, moisture evaporation, and porosity reduction. However, this technology must be demonstrated over a range of waste characteristics, including compositions, chemistries, moistures, and physical characteristics to ensure that it is suitable for hazardous and mixed waste treatment. These wastes are typically wastewater treatment sludges that are categorized as listed wastes due to the process origin or organic solvent content, and usually contain only small amounts of hazardous constituents. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL) West End Treatment Facility`s (WETF) sludge is considered on of these representative wastes. The WETF is a liquid waste processing plant that generates sludge from the biodenitrification and precipitation processes. An alternative wasteform is needed since the waste is currently stored in epoxy coated carbon steel tanks, which have a limited life. Since this waste has characteristics that make it suitable for vitrification with a high likelihood of success, it was identified as a suitable candidate by the Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) for testing at CU. The areas of special interest with this sludge are (1) minimum nitrates, (2) organic destruction, and (3) waste water treatment sludges containing little or no filter aid

Vitrification of Cesium-Laden Organic Ion Exchange Resin in a Stirred Melter

The goal of this research was a feasibility study for vitrifying the organic ion exchange resin in a stirred-tank melter. Tests were conducted to determine the fate of cesium including the feed, exit glass, and offgas streams and to assess any impact of feeding the resin on the melter or its performance