Remarks on the Lexicographical Treatment of Metaforms

This paper examines the way dictionaries describe meta forms, items that refer to the linguistic system itself (e.g., pronouns and indexicals). The paper first shows the inconsistent grammatical classification of metaforms, which are usually and incorrectly categorized as adverbs, conjunctions, prepOSitions, or interjections. It is then argued that metaforms should be classified in their currently known grammatical categories: discourse marker (now), focus particle (even, like), quotative (like), and so on. Discussion then turns to the definitions of meta forms, with illustration of their incorrect or misleading semantic characterization and suggestions for capturing their denotations consistently. This examination of the lexicography of metaforms is ultimately a case study in how dictionary making might be informed by judicious use of current grammatical, semantic, and pragmatic theory

Magnetism In Iron Based Compound

This thesis describes the investigation of a range of iron-based compounds which ex- hibit a variety of different electronic phases, from magnetoresistance to ferroelectricity. X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and muon spectroscopy techniques were used to probe the magnetism to provide an explanation of the microscopic mechanism for the bulk electronic properties. X-ray diffraction is a set of techniques that probe electronic ordering in a periodic crystalline system. If the x-ray energy is tuned to an absorption edge of a magnetically active ion in the compound sensitivity to the magnetic order can be gained. These x-ray techniques were used to study magnetoresistance in SrFeO3−δ, revealing an interplay between the structural, charge and magnetic order as the origin. Neutron diffraction is an established set of techniques that can directly probe the magnetic order of a crystalline compound. Neutron diffraction was used in conjunction with x-rays to study the ferroelectric and Ising-like phases in the triangular lattice antiferromagnet CuFeO2, revealing strong spin-lattice coupling, the coexistence of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic phases and the splitting of the magnetic order in the ferroelectric phase into two inequivalent orbits with a phase separation between them. Diffraction techniques re- quire long-range order of the magnetic ground state to be of utility. Muon spectroscopy is a local probe that can study magnetism in systems where the magnetic order remains short-ranged. Muon spectroscopy was used to study the spin-freezing phenomena in Fe- CrAs, and revealed a two stage transition and interaction energies associated with them. Polarisation analysis was used together with resonant x-ray scattering to obtain quanti- tative information on the structure of the magnetic helical structure of FeAs, quantifying the degree of ellipticity to the magnetic helix, and revealing an out-of-plane oscillating canted structure to the spin helix

Calcium dynamics and resting transcriptional activity regulates prolactin gene expression

Producción CientíficaResearch on the regulation of hormone gene expression by calcium signaling is hampered by the difficulty of monitoring both parameters within the same individual, living cells. Here we achieved concurrent, dynamic measurements of both intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and prolactin (PRL) gene promoter activity in single, living pituitary cells. Cells were transfected with the luciferase reporter gene under control of the PRL promoter and subjected to bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging before and after presentation of TSH-releasing hormone (TRH), a prototypic regulator of PRL secretion and gene expression that induces a transient Ca2+ release, followed by sustained Ca2+ influx. We found that cells displaying specific photonic emissions (i.e. mammotropes) showed heterogeneous calcium and transcriptional responses to TRH. Transcriptionally responsive cells always exhibited a TRH-induced [Ca2+]i increase. In addition, transcriptional responses were related to the rate of Ca2+ entry but not Ca2+ release. Finally, cells lacking transcriptional responses (but showing [Ca2+]i rises) exhibited larger levels of resting PRL promoter activity than transcriptionally responsive cells. Thus, our results suggest that the sustained entry of Ca2+ induced by TRH (but not the Ca2+ release) regulates transcriptional responsiveness. Superimposed on this regulation, the previous, resting PRL promoter activity also controls transcriptional responses.National Institutes of Health (grant DK-38215)Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (grant FIS 01/0769

Diagnostic evaluation, monitoring, and perioperative management of spinal cord compression in patients with Morquio syndrome.

Abstract Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA is an autosomal recessive condition caused by mutations in the GALNS gene, which encodes N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase, also called galactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS). A reduction in or absence of effective GALNS leads to faulty catabolism of keratan sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate within the lysosome; their accumulation causes cell, tissue, and organ dysfunction. The connective tissue, cartilage, ligaments, and bone of patients with Morquio A syndrome are particularly affected. Patients with Morquio A syndrome are at high risk of neurological complications because of their skeletal abnormalities; many patients are in danger of cervical myelopathy due to odontoid hypoplasia and ligamentous laxity leading to atlantoaxial subluxation. The multisystemic involvement of patients with Morquio A syndrome requires treatment by multidisciplinary teams; not all members of these teams may be aware of the potential for subluxation and quadriparesis. A multinational, multidisciplinary panel of 10 skeletal dysplasia or Morquio A syndrome specialists convened in Miami, FL on December 7 and 8, 2012 to develop consensus recommendations for early identification and effective management of spinal cord compression, for anesthesia and surgical best practices, and for effectual cardiac and respiratory management in patients with Morquio A syndrome. The target audience for these recommendations includes any physician who may encounter a patient with Morquio A syndrome, however doctors who do not have access to the full spectrum of specialists and resources needed to support patients with Morquio A syndrome should attempt to refer patients to a center that does. Physicians who manage Morquio A syndrome or comorbid conditions within specialty centers should review these expert panel recommendations and fully understand the implications of spinal cord instability for their own practices

VR-Participation & Dialogue: Towards Integrated Framework for Virtual Reality-Mediated Consensus and Community Building

Successful e-Participation requires a thriving community of users-citizens who engage and collaborate with governments and decision makers on key democratic and social maters. Effective community building and meaningful social interactions are contingent on strong, organic consensus achieved through engaging dialogue rather than discussions or argumentation. The emerging social Virtual Reality platforms offer new means of immersive communication that brings an opportunity to overcome some of the challenges identified to be hindering state-of-the-art e-Participation from supporting constructive citizen-to-government dialogue. In this paper we investigate the key concepts and explore the principles of dialogue and consensus building in the context of e-Participation. We match those principles with specific VR affordances and propose an Integrative Framework for Virtual-Reality-Mediated Consensus and Community Building. Finally, we discuss the application of the framework to e-Participation

The Science of Pronominal Usage: He and It in Co-Reference to Inanimate Objects in Late Middle English Texts on Alchemy

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The published version can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0075424210384225This article explores the variation between he and it in coreference to inanimate entities (such as mercury, sulfur, and salt). Using alchemical texts from the fifteenth century as material, the article demonstrates that there was much more variation in pronominal reference in this period than has previously been shown. Of the possible explanations suggested by previous research, the earlier grammatical gender system and transference from Latin do not seem to play a role, while pronoun clustering and pronominal reanalysis appear to influence the quantitative distribution. The scale of individuation used by Siemund and Stenroos to explain similar usage is shown not to be a straightforward predictor. Other factors such as personification and perceived similarities between animate and inanimate entities may affect the degree of perceived individuation. The choice of he over she seems to be influenced by pronominal reanalysis and straightforward personification in some cases. In other instances, it is speculated that the he usage reflects (stereotypical) gender conceptions in the Middle Ages