4,585 research outputs found
Usage-based and emergentist approaches to language acquisition
It was long considered to be impossible to learn grammar based on linguistic experience alone. In the past decade, however, advances in usage-based linguistic theory, computational linguistics, and developmental psychology changed the view on this matter. So-called usage-based and emergentist approaches to language acquisition state that language can be learned from language use itself, by means of social skills like joint attention, and by means of powerful generalization mechanisms. This paper first summarizes the assumptions regarding the nature of linguistic representations and processing. Usage-based theories are nonmodular and nonreductionist, i.e., they emphasize the form-function relationships, and deal with all of language, not just selected levels of representations. Furthermore, storage and processing is considered to be analytic as well as holistic, such that there is a continuum between children's unanalyzed chunks and abstract units found in adult language. In the second part, the empirical evidence is reviewed. Children's linguistic competence is shown to be limited initially, and it is demonstrated how children can generalize knowledge based on direct and indirect positive evidence. It is argued that with these general learning mechanisms, the usage-based paradigm can be extended to multilingual language situations and to language acquisition under special circumstances
Development of a freezing methodology in liquid nitrogen of tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt) seeds
Existence of immersed spheres minimizing curvature functionals in compact 3-manifolds
We study curvature functionals for immersed 2-spheres in a compact,
three-dimensional Riemannian manifold M. Under the assumption that the
sectional curvature of M is strictly positive, we prove the existence of a
smoothly immersed sphere minimizing the L^{2} integral of the second
fundamental form. Assuming instead that the sectional curvature is less than or
equal to 2, and that there exists a point in M with scalar curvature bigger
than 6, we obtain a smooth 2-sphere minimizing the integral of 1/4|H|^{2} +1,
where H is the mean curvature vector
Orbital-selective confinement effect of Ru orbitals in SrRuO ultrathin film
The electronic structure of SrRuO thin film with thickness from 50 to 1
unit cell (u.c.) is investigated via the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering
(RIXS) technique at the O K-edge to unravel the intriguing interplay of orbital
and charge degrees of freedom. We found that orbital-selective quantum
confinement effect (QCE) induces the splitting of Ru orbitals. At the same
time, we observed a clear suppression of the electron-hole continuum across the
metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) occurring at the 4 u.c. sample. From these
two clear observations we conclude that QCE gives rise to a Mott insulating
phase in ultrathin SrRuO films. Our interpretation of the RIXS spectra is
supported by the configuration interaction calculations of RuO clusters.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure
Enhanced mitochondrial superoxide scavenging does not Improve muscle insulin action in the high fat-fed mouse
Improving mitochondrial oxidant scavenging may be a viable strategy for the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes. Mice overexpressing the mitochondrial matrix isoform of superoxide dismutase (sod2(tg) mice) and/or transgenically expressing catalase within the mitochondrial matrix (mcat(tg) mice) have increased scavenging of O2(˙-) and H2O2, respectively. Furthermore, muscle insulin action is partially preserved in high fat (HF)-fed mcat(tg) mice. The goal of the current study was to test the hypothesis that increased O2(˙-) scavenging alone or in combination with increased H2O2 scavenging (mtAO mice) enhances in vivo muscle insulin action in the HF-fed mouse. Insulin action was examined in conscious, unrestrained and unstressed wild type (WT), sod2(tg), mcat(tg) and mtAO mice using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps (insulin clamps) combined with radioactive glucose tracers following sixteen weeks of normal chow or HF (60% calories from fat) feeding. Glucose infusion rates, whole body glucose disappearance, and muscle glucose uptake during the insulin clamp were similar in chow- and HF-fed WT and sod2(tg) mice. Consistent with our previous work, HF-fed mcat(tg) mice had improved muscle insulin action, however, an additive effect was not seen in mtAO mice. Insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in muscle from clamped mice was consistent with glucose flux measurements. These results demonstrate that increased O2(˙-) scavenging does not improve muscle insulin action in the HF-fed mouse alone or when coupled to increased H2O2 scavenging
In Situ Transcriptome Accessibility Sequencing (INSTA-seq)
Subcellular RNA localization regulates spatially polarized cellular processes, but unbiased investigation of its control in vivo remains challenging. Current hybridization-based methods cannot differentiate small regulatory variants, while in situ sequencing is limited by short reads. We solved these problems using a bidirectional sequencing chemistry to efficiently image transcript-specific barcode in situ , which are then extracted and assembled into longer reads using NGS. In the Drosophila retina, genes regulating eye development and cytoskeletal organization were enriched compared to methods using extracted RNA. We therefore named our method In Situ Transcriptome Accessibility sequencing (INSTA-seq). Sequencing reads terminated near 3’ UTR cis -motifs (e.g. Zip48C, stau ), revealing RNA-protein interactions. Additionally, Act5C polyadenylation isoforms retaining zipcode motifs were selectively localized to the optical stalk, consistent with their biology. Our platform provides a powerful way to visualize any RNA variants or protein interactions in situ to study their regulation in animal development
Incidence of WHO stage 3 and 4 conditions following initiation of Anti-Retroviral Therapy in resource limited settings
To determine the incidence of WHO clinical stage 3 and 4 conditions during early anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in resource limited settings (RLS)
Influence of terahertz waves on the fiber direction of CFRP composite laminates
The importance of Carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are widely utilized due to more high performance in engineering structures. It was well known that a nondestructive technique would be very beneficial. A new terahertz radiation has been recognized for their importance in technological applications. Recently, T-ray (terahertz ray) advances of technology and instrumentation has provided a probing field on the electromagnetic spectrum. The THz-TDS can be considered as a useful tool using general non-conducting materials; however it is quite limited to conducting materials. In order to solve various material properties, the index of refraction (n) and the absorption coefficient (α) are derived in reflective and transmission configuration using the terahertz time domain spectroscopy. However, the T-ray is limited in order to penetrate a conducting material to some degree. Here, the T-ray would not go through easily the CFRP composite laminates since carbon fibers are electrically conducting while the epoxy matrix is not. So, investigation of terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) was made and reflection and transmission configurations were studied for a 48-ply thermoplastic PPS (poly-phenylene sulfide)-based CFRP solid laminate. It is found that the electrical conductivity of CFRP composites depends on the direction of unidirectional fibers. Also, the T-ray could penetrate a CFRP composite laminate a few ply based on the E-filed (Electrical field) of carbon fibers. The terahertz scanning images were made at the angles ranged from 0° to 180° with respect to the nominal fiber axis. So, the images were mapped out based on the electrical field (E-field) direction in the CFRP solid laminates. Also, using two-dimensional spatial Fourier transform, interface C-scan images were transformed into quantitatively angular distribution plots to show the fiber orientation information therein and to predict the orientation of the ply
Spatially-resolved electronic and vibronic properties of single diamondoid molecules
Diamondoids are a unique form of carbon nanostructure best described as
hydrogen-terminated diamond molecules. Their diamond-cage structures and
tetrahedral sp3 hybrid bonding create new possibilities for tuning electronic
band gaps, optical properties, thermal transport, and mechanical strength at
the nanoscale. The recently-discovered higher diamondoids (each containing more
than three diamond cells) have thus generated much excitement in regards to
their potential versatility as nanoscale devices. Despite this excitement,
however, very little is known about the properties of isolated diamondoids on
metal surfaces, a very relevant system for molecular electronics. Here we
report the first molecular scale study of individual tetramantane diamondoids
on Au(111) using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. We find that
both the diamondoid electronic structure and electron-vibrational coupling
exhibit unique spatial distributions characterized by pronounced line nodes
across the molecular surfaces. Ab-initio pseudopotential density functional
calculations reveal that the observed dominant electronic and vibronic
properties of diamondoids are determined by surface hydrogen terminations, a
feature having important implications for designing diamondoid-based molecular
devices.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures. to appear in Nature Material
- …