The morphosyntax of argument realization : Greek argument structure and the lexicon-syntax interface

PA1097, ISO 639-3 : ell, Greek language, Modern -- Syntax, Greek language, Modern -- Semantic

The Morphosyntax of Argument Realization : Greek Argument Structure and the Lexicon-Syntax Interface

This dissertation presents a discussion of argument realization on the basis of theta-roles and case. Parametric variation between languages like Greek, on the one hand, and languages like Italian and French, on the other, is captured by a theory of lexico-syntactic operations on theta and case features very much based on Reinhart s Theta System. The comparison of Greek and Italian/French reveals that Greek lacks reflexivization and reciprocal formation of benefactors, as well as certain types of impersonals. This follows from one generalization: only the argument that would otherwise appear in the accusative case may be reduced in all instances of argument alternations in Greek. These facts are explained under the hypothesis that suffixes and clitics have different case properties. The morphological reflection of argument reduction through a suffix, as in Greek, is accompanied by obligatory absorption of the verbal accusative feature. If the morphological reflection of argument reduction is manifested by a clitic, as in Italian/French, a wider array of case marking, including dative or nominative, is involved. Reflexives, reciprocals and impersonals thus appear in a larger variety of case-configurations. Two case-related operations are distinguished. Case-absorption, which originates from the Government and Binding framework of the 80s and results in the elimination of a case feature, and Case-checking, which has mostly been developed in the Minimalist framework of the 90s, and results in the expression of a case feature on a given nominal complex. It is argued that both mechanisms are needed to properly account for the behaviour of valency affecting clitics/suffixes and object clitics. This thesis is of interest to researchers concerned with argument structure realization, and the way lexical information affects the syntactic derivation, and to scholars working on Greek and on Generative Syntax more in general

Modulation of Endothelial Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor Type 2 Activity by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3 in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling has multiple roles in the development and function of the blood vessels. In humans, mutations in BMP receptor type 2 (BMPR2), a key component of BMP signaling, have been identified in the majority of patients with familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, only a small subset of individuals with BMPR2 mutation develops PAH, suggesting that additional modifiers of BMPR2 function play an important role in the onset and progression of PAH. Methods: We used a combination of studies in zebrafish embryos and genetically engineered mice lacking endothelial expression of Vegfr3 to determine the interaction between vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) and BMPR2. Additional in vitro studies were performed by using human endothelial cells, including primary lung endothelial cells from subjects with PAH. Results: Attenuation of Vegfr3 in zebrafish embryos abrogated Bmp2b-induced ectopic angiogenesis. Endothelial cells with disrupted VEGFR3 expression failed to respond to exogenous BMP stimulation. Mechanistically, VEGFR3 is physically associated with BMPR2 and facilitates ligand-induced endocytosis of BMPR2 to promote phosphorylation of SMADs and transcription of ID genes. Conditional, endothelial-specific deletion of Vegfr3 in mice resulted in impaired BMP signaling responses, and significantly worsened hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Consistent with these data, we found significant decrease in VEGFR3 expression in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells from human PAH subjects, and reconstitution of VEGFR3 expression in PAH pulmonary arterial endothelial cells restored BMP signaling responses. Conclusions: Our findings identify VEGFR3 as a key regulator of endothelial BMPR2 signaling and a potential determinant of PAH penetrance in humans

Aseptic abscess syndrome associated with traveler's diarrhea after a trip to Malaysia

The first, to our knowledge, case of the aseptic abscesses syndrome as a complication of traveler's diarrhea after a trip to Malaysia is presented. The patient failed to respond to several antimicrobials. The diagnosis was histologically confirmed and the patient only responded to immunomodulatory therapy with corticosteroids and methotrexate. Travel physicians should be aware of this entity reviewed herein in the context of traveler's diarrhea. © 201