Word order preference in sign influences speech in hearing bimodal bilinguals but not vice versa: Evidence from behavior and eye-gaze

We investigated cross-modal influences between speech and sign in hearing bimodal bilin- guals, proficient in a spoken and a sign language, and its consequences on visual attention during message preparation using eye-tracking. We focused on spatial expressions in which sign languages, unlike spoken languages, have a modality-driven preference to mention grounds (big objects) prior to figures (smaller objects). We compared hearing bimodal bilin- guals’ spatial expressions and visual attention in Dutch and Dutch Sign Language (N = 18) to those of their hearing non-signing (N = 20) and deaf signing peers (N = 18). In speech, hear- ing bimodal bilinguals expressed more ground-first descriptions and fixated grounds more than hearing non-signers, showing influence from sign. In sign, they used as many ground-first descriptions as deaf signers and fixated grounds equally often, demonstrating no influence from speech. Cross-linguistic influence of word order preference and visual attention in hearing bimodal bilinguals appears to be one-directional modulated by modality-driven difference

Multi-Stakeholder Platform Contribution to Value Chain Development

Multi-stakeholder platforms are increasingly recognized by researchers and practitioners as promising mechanisms for stimulating economies in developing countries. An increasing number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private enterprises are participating in such platforms, however systematic research on their effectiveness and impact is scarce. Therefore, the NGO SNV initiated this study to learn from a number of MSPs which SNV started in 2005 in Ethiopia under the Business Organisations and their Access to Markets (BOAM) program, financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Maastricht School of Management (MSM) / Partnerships Resource Centre (PrC) were contracted to study the contributions of four selected MSPs to the development of value chains for the Ethiopian honey and beeswax, dairy, oil seeds and pineapple sectors. In total 437 organizations participated in at least one of the 66 CG meetings that were organized in the period 2005-2010. The overall objective of the study is to gain insight in and generate knowledge on how, and under which conditions multi-stakeholder platforms contribute to the development of value chains

The Edible Oil and Oilseeds Value Chain in Ethiopia

This report investigates the dynamics of a multi-stakeholder platform (named: Coordination Group, or CG) for stakeholders of the oilseeds and edible oil value chains in Ethiopia. The CG was initiated by the Dutch development organisation SNV in 2005 as part of a broader programme to improve market access for farmers/producers and small - and medium-sized edible oil processing companies. To examine the MSP, both its internal, organisational dynamics and its external dynamics, i.e. the changes brought about in key areas of the institutional business environment, were analysed. A mixedmethod design was used for the data collection and -analysis, including in-depth interviews with 18 key representative edible oil and oilseeds stakeholders participating in the CG meetings, document analysis, and a social network analysis. Ethiopia has a considerable potential for oilseeds production resulting from its diverse and favourable climate conditions as well as the existing large size of uncultivated land. Common and speciality Ethiopian oilseeds (safflower, castor beans and rapeseeds) are under high international demand due to their organic nature. Despite its potential and high international demands, the oilseeds sector in Ethiopia is constrained by several factors that can be grouped into production, processing and marketing problems. The CG was established to address these major problems. The dominant impression is that the CG has played a key role in bringing stakeholders from the three societal sectors (public, private and civil society) together to participate in a new, loose governance structure that reasonably meets the majority of collaboration requirements. Assessments of the success factors in collaboration demonstrate mixed results that range from low-high. Generally, the CG has performed better in the areas of its internal dynamics than in its external dynamics. Despite the fact that oilseeds CG lacks an active nucleus-group; it has introduced and maintained a fairly horizontal discussion structure where each member is free and equal –although related to capacity differences- to influence and contribute to its internal and external dynamics. Lack of active participation of key decision and policy makers in the CG meetings is a limitation of the CG to effectively influence the policy arena. Assessments revealed that the CG was less successful in terms of its external dynamics. Except for its role in creating access to knowledge, the CG performed low in terms of creating favourable institutional business environments for small and medium sized agri-business players. The CG did not influence access to financing mechanisms. Despite its efforts to create international market opportunities, there are few alternative market opportunities created for the oilseeds’ value chain actors in general and for the farmers in particular

Key conditions for successful value chain partnerships

This paper explores the black box of value chain partnerships, by showing how these partnerships can facilitate institutional change that is needed to include smallholder producers and small-and medium sized enterprises into (global) food value chains. It draws on agricultural value chain literature, collaboration literature, and institutional theory to gain insight into the relationship between the partnerships’ inner dynamics on the one hand, and the institutional changes the partnership facilitates in key areas of the business environment on the other. The study comprises a multiple case study of four multi-stakeholder value chain partnerships in honey, dairy, oilseeds and pineapple in Ethiopia. Sources of evidence include program documents, minutes of 66 meetings, and in-depth interviews with 67 key stakeholders. The study identifies four key conditions for fruitful collaboration: trust building, societal embeddedness, strong private sector leadership, and stakeholder involvement. Especially the latter condition proved to be important. Existing institutional structures and vested interests defended by individual stakeholders that remain outside the partnership may significantly hinder the institutional change advanced by value chain partnerships

Generic method for deriving the general shaking force balance conditions of parallel manipulators with application to a redundant planar 4-RRR parallel manipulator

This paper proposes a generic method for deriving\ud the general shaking force balance conditions of parallel\ud manipulators. Instead of considering the balancing of a parallel\ud manipulator link-by-link or leg-by-leg, the architecture is\ud considered altogether.\ud The first step is to write the linear momentum of each element.\ud The second step is to substitute the derivatives of the\ud loop equations, by which the general force balance conditions\ud are obtained. Subsequently specific kinematic conditions are\ud investigated in order to find advantageous, simple balance solutions.\ud As an example, the method is applied to a planar 4-RRR parallel\ud manipulator, for which the force balance conditions and\ud solutions are discussed and illustrated for each step respectively.\ud By including the loop equations, linear relations of the\ud motion among mechanism elements lead to an increase of balance\ud possibilities.For specific kinematic conditions, additional\ud linear relations among the motion of mechanism elements may\ud be obtained, resulting in another increase of balance possibilities.\ud For the latter, symmetric motion is an important feature\ud for which a 4-RRR manipulator is advantageou

Associations of pain intensity and pain-related disability with psychological and socio-demographic factors in patients with temporomandibular disorders:A cross-sectional study at a specialised dental clinic

The study assessed whether psychological and socio-demographic factors, including somatisation, depression, stress, anxiety, daytime sleepiness, optimism, gender and age, are associated with pain intensity and pain-related disability in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). In total, 320 TMD patients were involved in the study. The psychological status of each patient was assessed with questionnaires, including the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Epworth Sleeping Scale (ESS), stress questionnaire and Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). TMD pain, including pain intensity and pain-related disability, was assessed with characteristic pain intensity (CPI) and disability points scales. The associations of psychological and socio-demographic factors with pain intensity and pain-related disability were assessed through logistic regression analyses. Higher pain intensity was significantly associated with more severe anxiety (P = 0·004), more severe somatisation (P < 0·001), more severe depression (P < 0·001), more severe stress (P = 0·001) and lower optimism (P = 0·025) in univariate regression analyses. However, multiple regression analysis showed that only somatisation was significantly associated with pain intensity (P < 0·001). Higher pain-related disability was significantly associated with more severe anxiety (P < 0·001), more severe somatisation (P < 0·001), more severe depression (P < 0·001), more severe stress (P < 0·001) and lower optimism (P = 0·003) in univariate regression analyses. However, multiple regression analysis showed that only depression was significantly associated with pain-related disability (P = 0·003). Among the psychological and socio-demographic factors in this study, somatisation was the best predictor of pain intensity, while depression was the best predictor of pain-related disability

Observation and Modeling of Source Effects in Coda Wave Interferometry at Pavlof Volcano

We examine seismic records of repeating explosions from Pavlof volcano, Alaska, during its 2007 eruption. Repetitive explosions are typical of Strombolian-style eruptions and allow measurement of relative time shifts between similar late-arriving phases using the technique called coda wave interferometry (Snieder et al., 2002). The measurements enable the detection of small changes in the volcanic interior of Pavlof. We are able to resolve an increase in the relative traveltime change of late-arriving seismic waves on the order of 0.3% over the course of two weeks. Based on the spectra of the explosions, their location inside the magma conduit, previous studies of Pavlof volcano, and 3D seismic modeling, we argue the most likely scenario is one in which the velocity and/or the geometry of the conduit changes. This demonstrates the sensitivity of coda wave interferometry to source effects, in addition to path effects, at volcanoes

Dev Dyn

Ror2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase mutated in the human syndromes Brachydactyly type B (BDB) and recessive Robinow syndrome (RS). In this study, we used the chick as a model to investigate the role of Ror2 in skeletogenesis and to elucidate the functional consequences of Ror2 mutations. For this purpose, we cloned chicken Ror2 and analyzed its expression pattern at various embryonic stages by in situ hybridization and immunolabeling. We document expression of cRor2 in several organs, including mesonephros, heart, nervous system, intestine and cartilage. The high conservation of expression when compared with the mouse underlines the validity of the chick as a model system. Using replication-competent retroviral vector-mediated overexpression, we analyzed the functional consequences of truncating BDB and RS mutations in the developing chick limb. Overexpression of Ror2 mutants led to a disturbance of growth plate architecture and a severe block of chondrocyte differentiation, demonstrating the functional importance of Ror2 in skeletogenesis