Using the Failed Functional Features Hypothesis to Account for the Acquisition of English Locational and Directional Prepositions by Malaysian Chinese Speakers

This study examines the acquisition of English locational and directional prepositions by Malaysian Chinese speakers in relation to the issues concerning the Failed Functional Features Hypothesis in SLA (Second Language Acquisition) within the Minimalist Program framework. In particular, this study tests the hypothesis of the inaccessibility of a parameterized functional feature [Dir] which is not instantiated in adult learners’ L1 (first language) inventory due to the critical period effect. Chinese is argued to be a language that has no [Dir] feature for its directional expression is controlled by a verb. On the other hand, the English language requires a [Dir] feature which is found in English prepositions to express directionality. Therefore, it is postulated that Malaysian Chinese speakers have persistent difficulty in recognizing the directional reading expressed by English directional and ambiguous prepositions. In contrast, these speakers have no difficulty in recognizing the locational reading expressed by English locational and ambiguous prepositions probably due to the presence of a [Loc] feature in the learners’ L1 inventory. It is argued that after the age of seven (the end of the critical period), L1 Chinese L2 English speakers are not able to acquire the [Dir] feature as the feature is not found in the learners’ L1 inventory and at the same time, the learners are also unable to reset their L1 parameter settings into L2 parameter settings. Two tasks, a Grammaticality Judgment Task (GJT) and a Directionality Judgment Task (DJT) were administered to 100 adult L1 Chinese speakers of L2 English. The former comprises grammatical and ungrammatical items with locational, directional and ambiguous prepositions. The latter consists of items with locational, directional and ambiguous prepositions which convey locational and directional readings. In addition, an Oral Production Task on describing directions was carried out with 12 of the respondents. The findings indicate that while the Chinese speakers were able to acquire the surface structure of the English prepositions, they nevertheless had not acquired the underlying associated features. Such findings are consistent with the view that parameterized uninterpretable functional features are subject to a critical period

Lineage diversification of pigeon paramyxovirus effect re-emergence potential in chickens

AbstractGenotype VI-paramyxovirus (GVI-PMV1) is a major cause of epidemic Newcastle-like disease in Columbiformes. This genotype of avian paramyxovirus type 1 has diversified rapidly since its introduction into the US in 1982 resulting in two extant lineages, which have different population growth properties. Although some GVI-PMV1s replicate poorly in chickens, it is possible that variants with different replicative or pathogenic potential in chickens exist among the genetically-diverse GVI-PMV1s strains. To determine if variants of Columbiform GVI-PMV1 with different phylogenetic affiliations have distinct phenotypic properties in chickens, we investigated the replicative properties of 10 naturally circulating pigeon-derived isolates representing four subgroups of GVI-PMV1 in primary chicken lung epithelial cells and in chicken embryos. Our data demonstrate that GVI-PMV1 variants have different infection phenotypes in their chicken source host and that properties reflect subgroup affiliation. These subgroup replicative properties are consistent with observed dynamics of viral population growth

Genomic recombination in primate bocavirus: inconsistency and alternative interpretations

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a single-stranded DNA virus in Parvoviridae family, causing respiratory diseases in human. The recent identifications of genomic recombination among the four human bocavirus genotypes and related non-human primate bocaviruses have shed lights into the evolutionary processes underpinning the diversity of primate bocavirus. Among these reports, however, we found inconsistency and possible alternative interpretations of the recombination events. In this study, these recombination events were reviewed, and the related genome sequences were re-analysed, aiming to inform the research community of bocavirus with more consistent knowledge and comprehensive interpretations on the recombination history of primate bocavirus

Double learning or double blinding: an investigation of vendor private information acquisition and consumer learning via online reviews

In this paper, building upon information acquisition theory and using portfolio methods and system equations, we made an empirical investigation into how online vendors and consumers are learning from each other, and how online reviews, prices, and sales interact among each other. First, this study shows that vendors acquire information from both private and public channels to learn the quality of their products to make price adjustment. Second, for the more popular products and newly released products, vendors are more motivated to acquire private information that is more precise than the average precision to adjust their price. Third, we document a full demand-mediation model between rating and price. In other words, there is no direct linkage between price and rating, and the impact of rating on price (the vendor learning) as well as the impact of price on rating (the consumer learning) are all through demand. Our results show that there is no fundamental difference between the pricing decisions with and without the consumer generated contents. The price is still driven by the supply and demand relationship and vendors only adjust their price in response to review change when those reviews impact sales. We proposed either the impact of reviews has been incorporated into sales or reviews are less truth worthy due to potential review manipulation. Given the complicate situation, we call for further study to unveil this double learning process with double blinding results

Evaluating the ESL Reading Texts for Intermediate Learners of English from the Perspective of Students

In order to provide an evaluation of the suitability of reading texts from the perspective of students in university-based intensive English programme this study examined 53 international ESL intermediate learners perceptions of reading texts for a period of 14 weeks reading proficiency lessons Features evaluated include content readability exploitability and authenticity of the reading texts The participants responded to a textbook evaluation questionnaire to express their perceptions with reference to the features of the reading texts Results indicated the extent of appropriateness of the reading texts incorporated in the programme s reading textbook used by intermediate learners of English Further consideration must be given to text selection by including the aspect of authentic text presentatio

Lineage diversification of pigeon paramyxovirus effect re-emergence potential in chickens

Genotype VI-paramyxovirus (GVI-PMV1) is a major cause of epidemic Newcastle-like disease in Columbiformes. This genotype of avian paramyxovirus type 1 has diversified rapidly since its introduction into the US in 1982 resulting in two extant lineages, which have different population growth properties. Although some GVI-PMV1s replicate poorly in chickens, it is possible that variants with different replicative or pathogenic potential in chickens exist among the genetically-diverse GVI-PMV1s strains. To determine if variants of Columbiform GVI-PMV1 with different phylogenetic affiliations have distinct phenotypic properties in chickens, we investigated the replicative properties of 10 naturally circulating pigeon-derived isolates representing four subgroups of GVI-PMV1 in primary chicken lung epithelial cells and in chicken embryos. Our data demonstrate that GVI-PMV1 variants have different infection phenotypes in their chicken source host and that properties reflect subgroup affiliation. These subgroup replicative properties are consistent with observed dynamics of viral population growth

The Impact of PowerPoint on Undergraduates’ Technical Communication Achievement

AbstractPowerPoint, one of the most well known ICT tools, plays a vital role in our society nowadays as it has been utilized widely and actively in facilitating the process of teaching and learning, especially in the educational domain. The study examined the effect of PowerPoint lecturing on undergraduates’ Technical Communication final examination grade. The experimental group was taught in a PowerPoint lecture format while the control group in a traditional whiteboard lecture format. The results revealed that the experimental group grades were significantly higher than the control group at p = 0.00

Ectoparasites of Birds from a Rice Field in Samarahan Division, Sarawak

Birds are easily infested with ectoparasites due to their fitness, foraging behaviour, nesting cavities, micro- and macro-habitats. However, the status of ectoparasite infestation on birds in Sarawak is widely unknown. Rice field provides food resources to a variety of birds. This study was conducted to determine the species composition of ectoparasites from birds in a rice field at Kuap Village, Samarahan, Sarawak. A total of 69 birds consists of five species were caught from the rice field and the most common bird species found was the Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla). From these, 55 were found infested with ectoparasites with the infestation prevalence of 79.71%. A total of 2,513 ectoparasites from eight species were recovered from this study which comprised of six species of mites, one species of soft tick, and one species from the class Insecta. The most dominant ectoparasite species was mite namely, Nanopterodectes sp. with a total of 1,626 individuals. This baseline data on the ectoparasite composition and infestation of birds is important as some of the ectoparasites have the potential in transmitting zoonotic diseases to the farmers working at the rice fields in this region

Board Capital and Firm Performance

This study examines the influence of board capital on firm performance. Annual reports are used as the main sources for data collection. This study finds that firm performance decreases with gender diversity. Next, the interlocking directorate is not associated with firm performance. The findings would be useful to Malaysian policy-makers in deliberating the board’s role as a governance mechanism in strengthening the board structure. The results suggest selecting a director with relevant knowledge and perspective rather than simply meeting the number of board seats

Oil palm waste: An abundant and promising feedstock for microwave pyrolysis conversion into good quality biochar with potential multi-applications

Oil palm waste (OPW), comprising mainly of empty fruit bunch, mesocarp fiber, frond, trunk, and palm kernel shell generated from palm oil industry, was collected, characterized, and then pyrolyzed to evaluate their potential to be converted into biochar with desirable properties for use in multi-applications. The OPW was detected to have considerable amounts of carbon (43–51 wt%) and fixed carbon (30–39 wt%), showing potential to be converted into carbon-rich biochar. Microwave pyrolysis of palm kernel shell as the selected OPW produced a biochar with zero sulphur content and high heating value (23–26 MJ/kg) that is nearly comparable to conventional coal, thus indicating its potential as an eco-friendly solid fuel. The biochar obtained was also showed low moisture (<3 wt%) and ash (3 wt%), and a highly porous structure with high BET surface area (210 m2/g), indicating the presence of many adsorption sites and thus showing desirable characteristics for potential use as pollutant adsorbent in wastewater treatment, or bio-fertilizer to absorb nutrient and promote plant growth. Our results demonstrate that OPW is a biowaste that shows exceptional promise to be transformed into high-grade biochar rather than simply disposed by landfilling or burned as low-grade fuel in boiler