The Effects of Word Form Rehearsal and Language Experience on Fast Mapping in Young Bilingual Adults

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of both word-form rehearsal and language experience on fast mapping production and comprehension skills. This experiment studied thirty Spanish-English bilingual young adults. The experimental portion of the study contained four main parts: (1) word-form rehearsal, (2) presentation (3) production, and (4) comprehension. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three word-form rehearsal conditions. Each participant began the experiment by repeating a set of sixteen novel nonwords either fifteen times each, five times each, or zero times (control group). Next, the participants were presented a visual and auditory nonword stimulus simultaneously. Next, each participant was aurally asked to verbally produce the nonword when presented with a visual stimulus. Finally, each participant was asked to identify a specific visual stimulus that corresponds with an aurally resented nonword. The participants completed these four tasks in two phonologically similar anguages (English and Spanish) and one phonologically unfamiliar language (Cantonese). Results demonstrated that the more speech training a participant undergoes, the better the performance on production fast mapping tasks. Results also showed a significant language effect, with participants performing better on fast mapping tasks in the familiar languages (English and Spanish)

What Do You Expect? Linguistic Reflections on Empathy in Science Communication

This linguistics article, which draws additionally on interdisciplinary insights, discusses whether and to what extent more empathy could facilitate and promote the exchange of knowledge between science and society. The existence of the Internet as a knowledge resource has made it necessary, especially in online communication, to renegotiate (scientific) expertise and roles such as ‘expert’ and ‘layperson.’ A discourse linguistics case study of a science blog shows that these negotiations quickly take on the character of an emotionally charged relationship between writer and respondent and are by no means limited to the level of fact or disinterested scholarly debate. The reason for this—so this article argues—is that reciprocal expectations and expectations of expectations play an essential role in science communication, as in any social communication. This hypothesis is supported by an analysis of interviews with scientists about their expectations of the public’s understanding of science. Against this background, empathy seems to be a suitable means to better meet the expectations of one’s interlocuter (or at least to avoid disappointed expectations) and to move from a more emotional level back to a more rational one. Empathy and its role in science communication should therefore be investigated more closely—on an interdisciplinary basis

Exploring the physical limits of saturation contrast in Magnetic Resonance Imagign

Magnetic Resonance Imaging has become nowadays an indispensable tool with applications ranging from medicine to material science. However, so far the physical limits of the maximum achievable experimental contrast were unknown. We introduce an approach based on principles of optimal control theory to explore these physical limits, providing a benchmark for numerically optimized robust pulse sequences which can take into account experimental imperfections. This approach is demonstrated experimentally using a model system of two spatially separated liquids corresponding to blood in its oxygenated and deoxygenated forms.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. This paper is in open access, Nature-Scientific Report

Safety of Xenotransplantation: Development of screening methods and testing for porcine viruses

Xenotransplantation using pig cells, tissues or organs might be a promising solution to overcome the shortage for organs suitable for allotransplantation. Because of several reasons, the pig is currently the favoured donor species. However, the use of porcine xenotransplants is associated with the risk of transmitting porcine viruses to the human xenotransplant recipient. Among them porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs), porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses (PLHVs), porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) play a role. Some of them cause immunosuppression and a zoonotic potential of others has been supposed. Therefore the possibility of direct transmission of those viruses between pigs and humans might be possible. Strategies to avoid the transmission of those pathogens are currently of main importance to increase lifetime of the transplant and therefore to save many lives of people standing on the transplant waiting list. To select virus-free animals as putative donor pigs and to recognise transmission of pathogens to transplant recipients, sensitive detection methods are needed. In this study the prevalence and expression of these selected viruses should be investigated and assessed in order to obtain safe and healthy donor pigs for xenotransplantation studies. Therefore highly sensitive PCR-based methods, real-time PCR and real-time RT-PCR specific for all the viruses listed above, as well as immunological methods measuring virus-specific antibodies by Western blot analysis or ELISA were developed. Recombinant viral proteins were cloned, expressed and chromatographically purified as well as purified virus particles were expanded to be used as antigens. The methods were developed and optimized to screen (i) Göttingen minipigs, a well characterized pig breed which is kept in a specific-pathogen free facility, (ii) Aachen minipigs, a pig breed existing since 2013, (iii) slaughterhouse pigs from a butchery in the north of Berlin and (iv) multiply genetically modified pigs produced especially for xenotransplantation. Human-tropic PERV-A and PERV-B were found in all pigs and pig-tropic PERV-C and recombinant PERV-A/C were found in many pigs. HEV, PCMV, PLHVs and PCV2 were found in a few animals. No transmission of the porcine viruses listed above was observed during the transplantation of genetically modified islet cells into four marmosets. However, when transgenic pig hearts were transplanted into baboons, then PCMV and HEV were found transmitted, despite the fact that the donor pigs were negative when testing blood and antibody response. To avoid future transmissions of porcine viruses, more sensitive detection methods, different time points of testing, and different source materials, including oral and anal swabs, should be used. In the study sensitive and reliable methods for the detection of porcine viruses were developed and those viruses were detected in all tested pig herds. Furthermore, potentially zoonotic viruses like HEV and viruses causing immunosuppression like PCMV, PLHVs and PCV2 are present in pigs for slaughter. Although the expression of these viruses were low, the meat-producing and -processing industry should be aware of the improvement of hygienic standards. The newly developed detection methods are a prerequisite for the selection of virus-free pigs for transplantation trials as well as elimination programs based on treatment, vaccination, Caesarean delivery, early weaning and embryo transfer

The impact of alkyl chain purity on lipid based nucleic acid delivery systems – is the utilization of lipid components with technical grade justified?

The physicochemical properties and transfection efficacies of two samples of a cationic lipid have been investigated and compared in 2D (monolayers at the air/liquid interface) and 3D (aqueous bulk dispersions) model systems using different techniques. The samples differ only in their chain composition due to the purity of the oleylamine (chain precursor). Lipid 8 (using the oleylamine of technical grade for cost-efficient synthesis) shows lateral phase separation in the Langmuir layers. However, the amount of attached DNA, determined by IRRAS, is for both samples the same. In 3D systems, lipid 8 p forms cubic phases, which disappear after addition of DNA. At physiological temperatures, both lipids (alone and in mixture with cholesterol) assemble to lamellar aggregates and exhibit comparable DNA delivery efficiency. This study demonstrates that non-lamellar structures are not compulsory for high transfection rates. The results legitimate the utilization of oleyl chains of technical grade in the synthesis of cationic transfection lipid

Do L2 French or L2 English learners write better L3 German texts? The in-fluence of prior foreign language study on L3 German writing skills: the GaE/F Project

Many learners of German as a foreign language (L3) are learning English or French as L2 before commencing their study of German, especially students from countries where English or French is, among other languages, the second official language or a common language in the educational system. For example: Among the approximately 219.000 non-German students who, in 2014, studied at German universities 38.000 were from China or India (L2 English) and 11.000 were from Cameroon or Morocco (L2 French) (DAAD 2015: 14-15). University-level German instructors at the Technische Universität Darmstadt have reported a higher level of competence in producing German texts by students who have learned French as L2 before German than those who have learned English as L2. Multilingualism researchers have investigated the impact of prior foreign language study on the learning of other languages. These influences include the learner’s personal experiences while learning a foreign language, the development of individual learning strategies and the ability to self-motivate. Just as important, however, are the structural and cultural aspects that affect the learning of additional foreign languages, namely the structural differences between the languages to be studied compared to already mastered languages, the teaching and learning culture and, last but not least, the intercultural differences in the norms governing the production of text types (cf. e.g. Herdina & Jessner 2002; Hufeisen 2002, 2010; Jessner 2006; Mißler 2000). On this basis, the project “German as a foreign language after English or French” (GaE/F) [Deutsch als Fremdsprache nach Englisch oder Französisch (DaFnE/F)] was initiated to investigate how the learning of L2 English or L2 French may affect the learning of L3 German, and, in particular, how it influences the production of appropriate German language texts as assessed by native speakers. It will investigate which linguistic features can be found in such written language and how their occurrence can be explained. Finally the aim is to examine the issue whether the prior learning of French or English, respectively, is more useful for developing German writing skills. For several years the Division of Linguistics and Multilingualism at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and preparatory course instructors have been collecting a corpus of authentic university-level written texts that, at present, consists of approximately 160 samples. Because the project is currently at its very beginning, a pilot study has to be carried out to identify possibly significant features for the comparison of written texts (i.e. connectors, parataxis/hypotaxis, word formation, sentence structure etc.) and to develop research tools for future investigations

Do L2 French or L2 English learners write better L3 German texts? The in-fluence of prior foreign language study on L3 German writing skills: the GaE/F Project

Many learners of German as a foreign language (L3) are learning English or French as L2 before commencing their study of German, especially students from countries where English or French is, among other languages, the second official language or a common language in the educational system. For example: Among the approximately 219.000 non-German students who, in 2014, studied at German universities 38.000 were from China or India (L2 English) and 11.000 were from Cameroon or Morocco (L2 French) (DAAD 2015: 14-15). University-level German instructors at the Technische Universität Darmstadt have reported a higher level of competence in producing German texts by students who have learned French as L2 before German than those who have learned English as L2.Multilingualism researchers have investigated the impact of prior foreign language study on the learning of other languages. These influences include the learner’s personal experiences while learning a foreign language, the development of individual learning strategies and the ability to self-motivate. Just as important, however, are the structural and cultural aspects that affect the learning of additional foreign languages, namely the structural differences between the languages to be studied compared to already mastered languages, the teaching and learning culture and, last but not least, the intercultural differences in the norms governing the production of text types (cf. e.g. Herdina & Jessner 2002; Hufeisen 2002, 2010; Jessner 2006; Mißler 2000).On this basis, the project “German as a foreign language after English or French” (GaE/F) [Deutsch als Fremdsprache nach Englisch oder Französisch (DaFnE/F)] was initiated to investigate how the learning of L2 English or L2 French may affect the learning of L3 German, and, in particular, how it influences the production of appropriate German language texts as assessed by native speakers. It will investigate which linguistic features can be found in such written language and how their occurrence can be explained. Finally the aim is to examine the issue whether the prior learning of French or English, respectively, is more useful for developing German writing skills.For several years the Division of Linguistics and Multilingualism at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and preparatory course instructors have been collecting a corpus of authentic university-level written texts that, at present, consists of approximately 160 samples. Because the project is currently at its very beginning, a pilot study has to be carried out to identify possibly significant features for the comparison of written texts (i.e. connectors, parataxis/hypotaxis, word formation, sentence structure etc.) and to develop research tools for future investigations. Viele Menschen, die Deutsch als Zweit- oder Fremdsprache lernen, haben bereits Englisch oder Französisch als Vorfremdsprache erlernt. Dies gilt insbesondere für Studierende aus Ländern, in denen neben anderen Sprachen Englisch oder Französisch Amtssprachen bzw. Unterrichtssprachen sind. So kamen z.B. 2014 von den rund 219.000 nichtdeutschen Studierenden an deutschen Hochschulen rund 38.000 aus China oder Indien (L2 Englisch) und 11.000 aus Kamerun oder Marokko (L2 Französisch) (vgl. DAAD 2015: 14-15). DaF/DaZ-Lehrkräfte der Technischen Universität Darmstadt berichten von ihrer Erfahrung, dass Studierende mit Französisch als Vorfremdsprache vor Deutsch bessere deutschsprachige Texte schreiben als ihre Kommiliton/innen mit Englisch vor Deutsch.Die Mehrsprachigkeitsforschung hat den Einfluss vorher erlernter Fremdsprachen auf das Erlernen weiterer Sprachen in vielerlei Hinsicht erforscht. Hier spielen einerseits Aspekte auf individueller Ebene eine Rolle: das Sammeln von Erfahrungen, die Entwicklung individueller Lernstrategien und die Entstehung persönlicher Motivation. Andererseits beeinflussen Aspekte auf sprachlich-struktureller bzw. sprachlich-kultureller Ebene das Lernen weiterer Sprachen: die strukturelle Nähe der zu lernenden Sprache mit bereits bekannten Sprachen, die Sprachvermittlungskultur und auch die unterschiedlichen Text(sorten)normen in verschiedenen Sprachen.Die eingangs beschriebenen Beobachtungen der Lehrkräfte näher zu untersuchen, ist das Ziel des Projektes DaFnE/F (Deutsch als Fremdsprache nach Englisch oder Französisch). Es soll ermitteln, wie sich das vorherige Erlernen konkret der englischen bzw. französischen Sprache auf das Erlernen der Fremdsprache Deutsch auswirkt – und hier insbesondere auf die Produktion von nach Maßstäben deutscher Rezipient/innen als gut erscheinenden Texten. Neben der Frage, in welchen sprachlich-schriftlichen Bereichen hier Phänomene feststellbar sind, ist die Frage von Bedeutung, womit sie zusammenhängen (z.B. Struktur der Sprachen Englisch oder Französisch, unterschiedliche Lernpraktiken bzw. Lern-Traditionen im Unterricht Französisch als Fremdsprache bzw. Englisch als Fremdsprache usw.).Seit einigen Jahren wird am Fachgebiet Mehrsprachigkeit der TU Darmstadt und am Studienkolleg ein Textkorpus aus momentan rund 160 authentischen universitären Texten zusammengestellt, anhand dessen eine Pilotierungsuntersuchung für mögliche weitere Untersuchungen durchgeführt werden soll

Die Sprache der Politik Politik mit Sprache

Im Rahmen des Forschungsverbunds haben sich sowohl die Arbeitsgruppe „Zivilgesellschaft“ wie auch diejenige, die über Nationale Identität(en) arbeitet, naturgemäß immer auch mit der Rolle von Sprache befasst. Einzelne Projekte dieser Untergruppen des Gesamtverbunds und auch die gemeinsamen Fragestellungen haben die Relevanz von Sprache gleichermaßen als Brücke und Grenze diskutiert und herausgearbeitet. Dies gilt sowohl innerhalb wie auch zwischen Nationen. Dem Thema kommt deshalb eine sehr vielschichtige und komplexe Bedeutung zu. Gleichzeitig fand es in der Interdisziplinarität der Verbundarbeit, die ja ebenfalls terminologische Grenzen zu überwinden hat, auf spannende Weise eine interne Entsprechung. Sprache verdeutlicht die kulturelle Vielfalt Europas. Sprachen schaffen Kommunikationsräume, bedingen aber auch Kommunikationsgrenzen. Europäische Einigung ist untrennbar mit einem wechselseitigen und Nations übergreifenden Verständigungsprozess verbunden. In einem solchen treten Sprecher, die ihre Gemeinwesen, ihre Gesellschaft und deren Identität repräsentieren, miteinander in Kontakt. Es wird von ihrer Sprache abhängen – welche sie auch immer wählen – ob sie sich verstehen und eine gemeinsame, eine europäische Politik machen. Die ungemein brisanten Wechselbeziehungen von Politik und Sprache sind für die Forschung noch ein weites Feld. Ein wenig davon zu bestellen, ja aufzuarbeiten, war das Ziel der forost-Frühjahrstagung 2004 in Regensburg. Die hier versammelten Beiträge zeigen, dass dies konzeptionell und interdisziplinär in sehr eindrucksvoller Weise gelungen ist