Degrees and segments

I make two related proposals, one about directed scale segments and the other about the nature of degrees. Bale (2007, 2011) argued that degrees should be analyzed as sets of individuals and that degree arguments are created in the syntax from relational predicates. Schwarz (2010) showed that Bale’s construction runs into problems when the required degree relation is complex, denoted by an LF constituent that contains more than just a gradable adjective. I modify Bale’s proposal so that it overcomes Schwarz’s objection. But first I propose a semantics for comparatives based on quantification over directed scale segments, triples consisting of two degrees and a measure function. The modification of Bale’s proposal depends upon this. Segments are of independent interest as they permit a conjunctive semantics for extended adjectival phrases, the way events do for verb phrases. Potential benefits of ‘degree-conjunctivism’ are explored

Partitives and duratives

Champollion detects similarities in the interpretation of three seemingly unrelated forms: partitives, measure adverbials and distributivity operators. Stratified reference is a high level description of the unique meaning component that lies at the core of these similarities. It was helpful for me to think of ‘stratified reference’ as having the same type of status as ‘maximality’ which is implicated in the interpretation of definite descriptions, degree constructions, interrogatives and elsewhere. Converging on a single statement with which to describe the meanings of diverse forms enables us, as Champollion puts it, to link problems. Mereological parts make up the domains of quantification for stratified reference statements. I inquire here about the nature of the quantification: what kind of quantificational force do we want?, how might the parthood relation be restricted? and are there constraints on the size of the domain of quantification? I’ve come to appreciate Champollion’s mechanism by taking it apart and trying to put it back together with a few pieces missing. I hope the reader is able to learn something from this exercise. My comments are exclusively directed toward Section 2 Aspect and Section 3 Measurement (sometimes referred to below with the symbols ‘C.§2’, ‘C.§3’ respectively)

Measure phrases as modifiers of adjectives

In some languages, measure phrases can appear with non-compared adjectives : 5 feet tall. I address three questions about this construction: (a) Is the measure phrase an argument of the adjective or an adjunct? (b) What are we to make of the markedness of this construction *142lbs heavy? (c) Why is it that the markedness disappears once the adjective is put in the comparative (2 inches taller alongside 2lbs heavier)? I claim that because degree arguments are ‘functional’, the measure phrase has to be an adjunct and not a syntactic argument of the adjective. Like event modifiers in extended NPs and in VPs, the measure phrase predicates of a degree argument of the adjective. But given the kind of meaning a measure phrase must have to do its job in comparatives and elsewhere, it is not of the right type to directly predicate of a degree argument. I propose a lexically governed type-shift which applies to some adjectives allowing them to combine with a measure phrase

The Grammar of Measurement

No abstract

Directed Scale Segments

If Jack is taller than Jill, there is scale in which entities are ordered by height and which has a segment running from Jack down to Jill. Call that a directed scale-segment. A comparative characterizes a directed scale segment by describing the two ends, the type of scale and optionally the length of the segment. This paper explores the possibility of isolating these descriptions in distinct expressions in the clause tied together by quantification over directed scale segments. Data from Hindi and Navajo are used to motivate this arrangement and then to probe its limits. The resulting discussion is an argument for cross linguistic diversity in the semantics of comparatives

Determination of masses of the central black holes in NGC524 and NGC2549 using Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics

[abridged] We present observations of NGC524 and NGC2549 with LGS AO obtained at GEMINI North telescope using the NIFS IFU in the K band. The purpose of these observations, together with previously obtained observations with the SAURON IFU, is to determine the masses (Mbh) of the supermassive black holes (SMBH). The targeted galaxies were chosen to have central light profiles showing a core (NGC524) and a cusp (NGC2549), to probe the feasibility of using the galaxy centre as the NGS required for LGS AO. We employ an innovative `open loop' technique. The data have spatial resolution of 0.23" and 0.17" FWHM, showing that high quality LGS AO observations of these objects are possible. We construct axisymmetric three-integral dynamical models which are constrained with both the NIFS and SAURON data. The best fitting models yield Mbh=(8.3 +2.7 -1.3) x 10^8 Msun for NGC524 and Mbh=(1.4 +0.2 -1.3) x 10^7 Msun for NGC2549 (all errors are at the 3 sigma CL). We demonstrate that the wide-field SAURON data play a crucial role in the M/L determination increasing the accuracy of M/L by a factor of at least 5, and constraining the upper limits on Mbh. The NIFS data are crucial in constraining the lower limits of Mbh and in combination with the large scale data reducing the uncertainty by a factor of 2 or more. We find that the orbital structure of NGC524 shows significant tangential anisotropy, while at larger radii both galaxies are consistent with having almost perfectly oblate velocity ellipsoids. Tangential anisotropy in NGC524 coincides with the size of SMBH sphere of influence and the core region in the light profile. We test the accuracy to which Mbh can be measured using seeings obtained from typical LGS AO observations, and conclude that for a typical conditions and Mbh the expected uncertainty is of the order of 50%.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figure

The SAURON project. II. Sample and early results

Early results are reported from the SAURON survey of the kinematics and stellar populations of a representative sample of nearby E, S0 and Sa galaxies. The survey is aimed at determining the intrinsic shape of the galaxies, their orbital structure, the mass-to-light ratio as a function of radius, the age and metallicity of the stellar populations, and the frequency of kinematically decoupled cores and nuclear black holes. The construction of the representative sample is described, and its properties are illustrated. A comparison with long-slit spectroscopic data establishes that the SAURON measurements are comparable to, or better than, the highest-quality determinations. Comparisons are presented for NGC 3384 and NGC 4365 where stellar velocities and velocity dispersions are determined to a precision of 6 km/s, and the h3 and h4 parameters of the line-of-sight velocity distribution to a precision of better than 0.02. Extraction of accurate gas emission-line intensities, velocities and line widths from the datacubes is illustrated for NGC 5813. Comparisons with published line-strengths for NGC 3384 and NGC 5813 reveal uncertainties of < 0.1 A on the measurements of the Hbeta, Mgb and Fe5270 indices. Integral-field mapping uniquely connects measurements of the kinematics and stellar populations to the galaxy morphology. The maps presented here illustrate the rich stellar kinematics, gaseous kinematics, and line-strength distributions of early-type galaxies. The results include the discovery of a thin, edge-on, disk in NGC 3623, confirm the axisymmetric shape of the central region of M32, illustrate the LINER nucleus and surrounding counter-rotating star-forming ring in NGC 7742, and suggest a uniform stellar population in the decoupled core galaxy NGC 5813.Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures. To be published in MNRAS. Version with full resolution images available at http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~dynamics/Instruments/Sauron/pub_list.htm

Twelve Years of Drug Prioritization to Help Accelerate Disease Modification Trials in Parkinson's Disease: The International Linked Clinical Trials initiative

In 2011, the UK medical research charity Cure Parkinson's set up the international Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) committee to help expedite the clinical testing of potentially disease modifying therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD). The first committee meeting was held at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2012. This group of PD experts has subsequently met annually to assess and prioritize agents that may slow the progression of this neurodegenerative condition, using a systematic approach based on preclinical, epidemiological and, where possible, clinical data. Over the last 12 years, 171 unique agents have been evaluated by the iLCT committee, and there have been 21 completed clinical studies and 20 ongoing trials associated with the initiative. In this review, we briefly outline the iLCT process as well as the clinical development and outcomes of some of the top prioritized agents. We also discuss a few of the lessons that have been learnt, and we conclude with a perspective on what the next decade may bring, including the introduction of multi-arm, multi-stage clinical trial platforms and the possibility of combination therapies for PD