V-to-V Coarticulation Induced Acoustic and Articulatory Variability of Vowels: The Effect of Pitch-Accent

In the present study we analyzed vowel variation induced by carryover V-to-V coarticulation under the effect of pitch-accent as a function of vowel quality (using a minimally constrained intervening consonant to maximize V-to-V effects). We tested if /i/ is more resistant to coarticulation than /u/, and if both vowels show increased coarticulatory resistance in pitch-accented syllables. Our approach was unprecedented in the sense that it involved the analysis of parallel acoustic (F2) and articulatory (x-axis dorsum position) data in a great number of speakers (9 speaker), and real words of Hungarian. To analyze the degree of coarticulation, we adopted the locus equation approach, and fitted linear models on vowel onset and midpoint data, and calculated the differences between coarticulated and non-coarticulated vowels in both domains. To measure variability, we calculated standard deviations of midpoint F2 values and dorsum positions. The results showed that accent clearly exerted an effect on the phonetic realization of vowels, but the effect we found was dependent on both the vowel quality, and the domain (articulation/acoustics) at hand. Observation of the patterns we found in parallel acoustic and articulatory data warrants for reconsideration of the term ‘coarticulatory resistance’, and how it should be conceptualized

Interaction of factor XIII subunits

Coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) is a heterotetramer consisting of 2 catalytic A subunits (FXIII-A2) and 2 protective/inhibitory B subunits (FXIII-B2). FXIII-B, a mosaic protein consisting of 10 sushi domains, significantly prolongs the lifespan of catalytic subunits in the circulation and prevents their slow progressive activation in plasmatic conditions. In this study, the biochemistry of the interaction between the 2 FXIII subunits was investigated. Using a surface plasmon resonance technique and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-type binding assay, the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) for the interaction was established in the range of 10(-10) M. Based on the measured Kd, it was calculated that in plasma approximately 1% of FXIII-A2 should be in free form. This value was confirmed experimentally by measuring FXIII-A2 in plasma samples immunodepleted of FXIII-A2B2. Free plasma FXIII-A2 is functionally active, and when activated by thrombin and Ca(2+), it can cross-link fibrin. In cerebrospinal fluid and tears with much lower FXIII subunit concentrations, >80% of FXIII-A2 existed in free form. A monoclonal anti-FXIII-B antibody that prevented the interaction between the 2 subunits reacted with the recombinant combined first and second sushi domains of FXIII-B, and its epitope was localized to the peptide spanning positions 96 to 103 in the second sushi domain

Digital & Cognitive Corporate Reality

As part of the most recent developments in human co-evolution with information and communication technologies, the increasing complexity of our digital realities, as well as the expanding capabilities of omni-present artificial intelligence, are having profound implications. This transformative shift leads to a new era in many fields, including corporate management and business. Newly co-evolved cognitive capabilities, both natural and artificial, are emerging, necessitating a paradigm shift in our understanding and approaches to corporate management and business science. This paper introduces the concept of Digital and Cognitive Corporate Reality (DCR) to establish a new broader view for higher-level conceptual discussion, adopting a holistic perspective that encompasses related scientific fields. Following this definition, the paper briefly explores how different scientific disciplines can be expected to contribute to the development of DCR. Use case examples are also provided to demonstrate the benefits of the holistic perspective adopted in DCR