The definite article and its positions in the structure of the DP: evidence from Irish English and Alemannic

In this squib, the comparison of standard and non-standard varieties of German and English provides evidence for a fine-grained DP-structure regarding the position of the definite article. Besides different positions reflecting the well known distinction between generic and deictic readings, I will argue that only deictic determiners are located in D, whereas so called weak definites occupy a lower position. This lower position, labelled artP, is argued to be the highest functional projection in nominal expressions, which are non-deictic. The suggested structure is an elaboration of the structure developed by Borer (2005).Neste squib, a comparação entre as variedades padrão e não padrão do alemão e do inglês prove evidências para uma estrutura refinada do DP no que diz respeito ˆÃ  posição ocupada pelo artigo definido. Alem do fato de que posições diferentes refletem a já conhecida distinção entre as leituras genérica e dêitica, argumentarei que apenas os determinantes dêiticos estão localizados em D, enquanto os chamados definidos fracos ocupam uma  posição mais baixa. Essa posição, rotulada artP, seria a projeção funcional mais alta em expressões nominais, que são não dêiticas. A estrutura sugerida é uma elaboração da  estrutura desenvolvida por Borer (2005)

Bad Data can be Good Data – the Significance of Different Methods for Syntactic Theorizing

Contribution to Linguistic Evidence 202

The identification of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms to assist in mapping the spread of Bacillus anthracis across the Southern Caucasus

Anthrax is common as a zoonotic disease in the southern Caucasus area including parts of Turkey and Georgia. In this region, population genetics of the etiological agent Bacillus anthracis comprises, where known, the major canonical single nucleotide polymorphism (canSNP) groups A.Br.Aust94 and A.Br.008/009 of the pathogen’s global phylogeny, respectively. Previously, isolates of B. anthracis from Turkey have been genotyped predominantly by multi locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) or canSNP typing. While whole genome sequencing is the future gold standard, it is currently still costly. For that reason we were interested in identifying novel SNPs which could assist in further distinguishing closely related isolates using low cost assay platforms. In this study we sequenced the genomes of seven B. anthracis strains collected from the Kars province of Eastern Anatolia in Turkey and discovered new SNPs which allowed us to assign these and other geographically related strains to three novel branches of the major A-branch canSNP-group (A.Br.) Aust94. These new branches were named Kafkas-Geo 1–3 and comprised isolates from the Kars region and the neighboring republic of Georgia suggesting a common ancestry. The novel SNPs identified in this study connect the population genetics of B. anthracis in the South Caucasus and Turkey and will likely assist efforts to map the spread of the pathogen across this region

Genotyping and phylogenetic placement of Bacillus anthracis isolates from Finland, a country with rare anthrax cases

Anthrax, the zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is nowadays rare in northern parts of Europe including Finland and Scandinavia. Only two minor outbreaks of anthrax in 1988 and in 2004 and one sporadic infection in 2008 have been detected in animals in Finland since the 1970’s. Here, we report on two Finnish B. anthracis strains that were isolated from spleen and liver of a diseased calf related to the outbreak in 1988 (strain HKI4363/88) and from a local scrotum and testicle infection of a bull in 2008 (strain BA2968). These infections occurred in two rural Finnish regions, i.e., Ostrobothnia in western Finland and Päijänne Tavastia in southern Finland, respectively

Accumulation of mutations in antibody and CD8 T cell epitopes in a B cell depleted lymphoma patient with chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection

Antibodies against the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can drive adaptive evolution in immunocompromised patients with chronic infection. Here we longitudinally analyze SARS-CoV-2 sequences in a B cell-depleted, lymphoma patient with chronic, ultimately fatal infection, and identify three mutations in the spike protein that dampen convalescent plasma-mediated neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, four mutations emerge in non-spike regions encoding three CD8 T cell epitopes, including one nucleoprotein epitope affected by two mutations. Recognition of each mutant peptide by CD8 T cells from convalescent donors is reduced compared to its ancestral peptide, with additive effects resulting from double mutations. Querying public SARS-CoV-2 sequences shows that these mutations have independently emerged as homoplasies in circulating lineages. Our data thus suggest that potential impacts of CD8 T cells on SARS-CoV-2 mutations, at least in those with humoral immunodeficiency, warrant further investigation to inform on vaccine design

The definite article and its positions in the structure of the DP : evidence from Irish English and Alemannic

In this squib, the comparison of standard and non-standard varieties of German and English provides evidence for a fine-grained DP-structure regarding the position of the definite article. Besides different positions reflecting the well known distinction between generic and deictic readings, I will argue that only deictic determiners are located in D, whereas so called weak definites occupy a lower position. This lower position, labelled artP, is argued to be the highest functional projection in nominal expressions, which are non-deictic. The suggested structure is an elaboration of the structure developed by Borer (2005).publishe

Adjectives and the Syntax of German(ic) DPs

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Traditioner i läromedel; Hur framställs hållbar utveckling i biologiböcker?

Hållbar utveckling är ett centralt tema i högstadiets biologiundervisning. Det finns dock olika förståelser av hållbar utveckling inom svensk skola. Det ses bland annat i de tre undervisningstraditionerna faktabaserad, normativ och pluralistisk som förekommer i undervisningen. Av dessa är endast den pluralistiska kompatibel med styrdokumenten. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka på vilket sätt dessa undervisningstraditioner finns representerade i läroböcker i biologi. Specifikt om det finns skillnader i representationen av undervisningstraditionerna inom delar av innehållet. Eftersom läroboksanvändningen bland NO-lärare är hög får läroböckernas innehåll och eventuell representation av undervisningstraditionerna påverkan på lärarnas undervisningspraktik. För analysen användes idealtyper där texterna i läroböckerna jämfördes, analyserades och kategoriserades utifrån undervisningstraditionerna. Resultatet visar att alla tre undervisningstraditioner återfinns i läroböckerna, dock finns skillnader i representationen mellan böckerna. Denna skillnad mellan böckerna kan få betydelse för lärares undervisningspraktik och som konsekvens leda till en bristande likvärdighet i undervisningen