Don’t Get Me Wrong: ERP Evidence from Cueing Communicative Intentions

How to make sure that one’s utterances are understood as intended when not facing each other? In order to convey communicative intentions, in digital communication emoticons and pragmatic cues are frequently used. Such cueing becomes even more crucial for implied interpretations (e.g., irony) that cannot be understood literally, but require extra information. Sentences, such as ‘That’s fantastic,’ may achieve either a literal or ironic meaning depending on the contextual constraints. In two experiments using event-related brain potentials (ERPs), we examined the effects of cueing communicative intentions (i.e., by means of quotation marks) on ironic and literal language comprehension. An impact of cueing on language processing was seen as early as 200 ms post-stimulus onset by the emergence of a P300 preceding a sustained positivity for cued irony relative to literal language, while for uncued irony a P200-P600 pattern was obtained. In presence of additional information for ironic intentions, pragmatic reanalysis allowing inferences on the message level may have occured immediately. Moreover, by examining the way of cueing (i.e., ambiguous vs. unambiguous cueing) this type of information for communicative intentions appeared to be only effective when the cues were unambiguous by matching pragmatic conventions. The findings suggest that cueing communicative intentions may immediately affect language comprehension, albeit depending on pragmatic conventions of the cues’ usage

Zur Kenntnis der Vegetationsstufen im Mittleren Osten

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A longitudinal investigation of the relationship between unconditional positive self-regard and posttraumatic growth

The present study investigated whether unconditional positive self-regard (UPSR) is associated with subsequent posttraumatic growth (PTG) following the experience of a traumatic life event. A total of 143 participants completed an online questionnaire to assess the experience of traumatic life events, posttraumatic stress, well-being and UPSR (Time 1). Three months later, 76 of the participants completed measures of well-being and perceived PTG (Time 2). Analyses were conducted to test for association between UPSR at Time 1 and perceptions of PTG at Time 2. Results showed that higher UPSR at T1 was associated with higher perceived PTG at Time 2. To measure actual growth, individual differences in well-being were computed between Time 1 and Time 2. Results showed that higher UPSR at T1 was associated with higher actual PTG. Implications of these findings are discussed and future directions for research in this area considered. Specifically, results are consistent with a person-centered understanding of therapeutic approaches to the facilitation of PT

Breaking stress of neutron star crust

The breaking stress (the maximum of the stress-strain curve) of neutron star crust is important for neutron star physics including pulsar glitches, emission of gravitational waves from static mountains, and flares from star quakes. We perform many molecular dynamic simulations of the breaking stress at different coupling parameters (inverse temperatures) and strain rates. We describe our results with the Zhurkov model of strength. We apply this model to estimate the breaking stress for timescales ~1 s - 1 year, which are most important for applications, but much longer than can be directly simulated. At these timescales the breaking stress depends strongly on the temperature. For coupling parameter <200, matter breaks at very small stress, if it is applied for a few years. This viscoelastic creep can limit the lifetime of mountains on neutron stars. We also suggest an alternative model of timescale-independent breaking stress, which can be used to estimate an upper limit on the breaking stress.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Zone Melting of Uranium

ABSTRACT A study was made of the possible application of the zone melting technique to the separation of u r a n i u m from fission products and other impurities. Bar specimens of U having various aRoying elements were zone purified in thoriacoated alumina boats. U r a n i u m bars previously irradiated in the Brookhaven pile were also zone melted. Zone melting has potential application in the removal of such impurities as B, Fe, Si, Ni, and Co from ordinary U. In the reprocessing of irradiated U, zone melting offers a method for removing such fission products as Zr, Nb, Ru. However, as employed here, it shows little promise as a method for complete decontamination of irradiated U from fission products, primarily because of concurrent slagging effects. Zone m e l t i n g is a purification t e c h n i q u e which has b e e n used to p r e p a r e v e r y p u r e Ge m e t a l in w h i c h the q u a n t i t y of i m p u r i t i e s p r e s e n t is of the order of parts per billion. The :;uccess of this t e c h n i q u e w i t h Ge suggested an i n v e s t i g a t i o n of its possible application to the purification of U f r o m fission products a n d other impurities. This r e p o r t p r e s e n t s the results of such a n investigation. In the zone m e l t i n g process a n a r r o w m o l t e n zone, p r o d u c e d b y i n d u c t i o n or resistance heating, is m a d e to t r a v e r s e t h e solid m e t a l by m o v e m e n t either of the heater or of the metal, as s h o w n in t i m a t e d i s t r i b u t i o n &quot; is r e a c h e d after w h i c h a d d itional passes h a v e no effect. A m e a s u r e of the t e n d e n c y of the i m p u r i t y to m i g r a t e is given by the d i s t r i b u t i o n coefficient k, which is defined as the ratio of the solute c o n c e nt r a t i o n in the solid to that in the liquid at e q u il i b r i u m . The g r e a t e r the factor b y w h i c h k differs from unity, the m o r e r e a d i l y i m p u r i t i e s migrate. A simple t h e o r y of zone m e l t i n g has b e e n developed by P f a n n (1), in w h i c h it is a s s u m e d that solute diffusion in the liquid is sufficiently r a p i d that the i m p u r i t y c o n c e n t r a t i o n is u n i f o r m in the m o l t e n zone while diffusion in the solid phase is negligible. F r o m this theory it is possible to calculate the effect of repeated zone passes if the d i s t r i b u t i o n coefficient is k n o w n . In practice, one expects less m i g r a t i o n t h a n that calculated, because the a s s u m p t i o n s of complete e q u i l i b r i u m on which the c a l c u l a t i o n is based are not strictly true. In a n y case, the p u r ification a t t a i n e d depends on the n u m b e r of passes, the ratio of m o l t e n zone l e n g t h to b a r length, the e q u i l i b r i u m d i s t r i b u t i o n coefficient k, a n d the rate of zone travel. I n T a b l e I are given k v a l u e s for some metals in U, e s t i m a t e d f r o m the p a r t i c u l a r u r a n i u m -m e t a l phase d i a g r a m s (2). It should be n o t e d t h a t these k values are at best a p p r o x i m a t e since g e n e r a l l y the phase d i a g r a m s h a v e not b e e n a c c u r a t e l y d e t e r m i n e d in the region of low i m p u r i t y c o n c e n t r a t i o n . The theoretical ratio of i m p u r i t y c o n c e n t r a t i o n at the low c o n c e n t r a t i o n end of the b a r before a n d afte

A person-centered perspective on working with people who have experienced psychological trauma and helping them move forward to posttraumatic growth

Over the past decade posttraumatic growth (PTG) has become a major topic for theory, research and practice in mainstream trauma psychology. The aim of this paper is to discuss the implications of PTG for the person-centered approach. It is argued that PTG provides a new non-medical language for understanding psychological trauma that is consistent with the person-centered approach. Person-centered personality theory provides an explanation for how PTG arises and leads to new testable predictions for research into how person-centered therapy may be able to facilitate PTG

The Current State of Performance Appraisal Research and Practice: Concerns, Directions, and Implications

On the surface, it is not readily apparent how some performance appraisal research issues inform performance appraisal practice. Because performance appraisal is an applied topic, it is useful to periodically consider the current state of performance research and its relation to performance appraisal practice. This review examines the performance appraisal literature published in both academic and practitioner outlets between 1985 and 1990, briefly discusses the current state of performance appraisal practice, highlights the juxtaposition of research and practice, and suggests directions for further research

Diabetes and pancreatic cancer survival: A prospective cohort-based study

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer but its association with survival from pancreatic cancer is poorly understood. Our objective was to investigate the association of diabetes with survival among pancreatic cancer patients in a prospective cohort-based study where diabetes history was ascertained before pancreatic cancer diagnosis. METHODS: We evaluated survival by baseline (1993–2001) self-reported diabetes history (n=62) among 504 participants that developed exocrine pancreatic cancer within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality were estimated using Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, race, smoking, and tumour stage (local, locally advanced, and metastatic). RESULTS: The multivariable-adjusted HR for mortality comparing participants with diabetes to those without was 1.52 (95% CI=1.14–2.04, P-value <0.01). After excluding those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of study enrolment, HR for mortality among those with diabetes was 1.45 (95% CI=1.06–2.00, P-value=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Using prospectively collected data, our findings indicate that diabetes is associated with worse survival among patients with pancreatic cancer

5G-PPP Software Network Working Group:Network Applications: Opening up 5G and beyond networks 5G-PPP projects analysis

As part of the 5G-PPP Initiative, the Software Network Working Group prepared this white paper to demystify the concept of the Network Applications. In fact, the Network Application ecosystem is more than the introduction of new vertical applications that have interaction capabilities. It refers to the need for a separate middleware layer to simplify the implementation and deployment of vertical systems on a large scale. Specifically, third parties or network operators can contribute to Network Applications, depending on the level of interaction and trust. Different implementations have been conducted by the different projects considering different API types and different level of trust between the verticals and the owner of 5G platforms. In this paper, the different approaches considered by the projects are summarized. By analysing them, it appears three options of interaction between the verticals and the 5G platform owner: - aaS Model: it is the model where the vertical application consumes the Network Applications as a service. The vertical application deployed in the vertical service provider domain. It connects with the 3GPP network systems (EPS, 5GS) in one or more PLMN operator domain. - Hybrid: it is the model where the vertical instantiates a part of its Vertical App in the operator domain like the EDGE. The other part remains in the vertical domain. A similar approach has been followed in TS 23.286 related to the deployment of V2X server. - Coupled/Delegated: it is the model where the vertical delegates its app to the operator. The Network Applications will be composed and managed by the operator. This approach is the one followed in the platforms like 5G-EVE. In addition, the paper brings an analysis of the different API type deployed. It appears that the abstraction from network APIs to service APIs is necessary to hide the telco complexity making APIs easy to consume for verticals with no telco expertise and to adress data privacy requirements