Grammar in parsing and acquisition

O�Grady�s keynote article comes at a timely moment when the acquisition and processing of semantic phenomena in a first and/or second language are gaining renewed interest (Gibson & Pearlmutter, 2011; Grüter, Lieberman, & Gualmini, 2010; Gualmini & Crain, 2005; Musolino & Gualmini, 2011; Unsworth, Gualmini, & Helder, 2008) and feed into the longstanding debate regarding the nature of language (Chomsky, 1993; Pinker, 1999). In this commentary, we will first discuss the theoretical issues raised in O�Grady�s article and then we will address acquisition and processing consideration

Поведение водорода при кристаллизации и охлаждении железа

С позиций теории направленной химической связи показано, что растворимость водорода в жидком железе и его аллотропических формах α–, γ– и δ–Fe коррелирует с изменением параметра Δе (положительная величина Δе соответствует донорному характеру связи, отрицательная – акцепторному)

Path and rate of development in child heritage speakers: Evidence from Greek subject/object form and placement

Aims: We investigated: (1) whether differences in accuracy between heritage speakers (HS) and monolingual speakers (MS) signal differences in the path or merely in the rate of language development, and (2) whether, independently of these differences, HS become more accurate as they grow older. Methods: Using an elicitation task, we collected data from three groups of speakers of Greek: HS in the United States and Canada (78–226 months), MS of the same age (77–177 months), and younger MS (42–69 months). In terms of structures, we focused on two phenomena that are encoded differently in Greek and English: subject/object form in reference maintenance contexts and subject placement in embedded wh-dependencies. Data and Analysis: Data were analyzed with mixed-effects logistic regression models. Findings: We found that the heritage group had a lower accuracy and produced different error patterns than both monolingual groups. Specifically, only the heritage group produced non-felicitous lexical subjects/objects in reference maintenance contexts and ungrammatical preverbal subjects in embedded wh-structures. Accuracy, though, increased with age. Furthermore, current amount of heritage language (HL) input and generation, which were included as covariates, emerged as significant predictors in some or all of the conditions. Originality: The inclusion of a younger monolingual group helped us determine whether the different patterns observed in the language of HS are also attested in the language of MS at earlier developmental stages. The inclusion of a wide age range helped us determine whether, independently of differences in the path/rate of development, HS become more accurate as they grow older and accumulate the necessary amount of HL input. Implications: HS may go through developmental stages not attested in L1 acquisition. However, differences in developmental stages do not necessarily entail differences in the outcome of language acquisition. HS’ accuracy may continue to increase, provided that they continue using their HL

Enabling Sustainable Freight Air Transport in the Adriatic Region through Development of ICT Platform

Freight transport in the Adriatic area suffers from persistent organizational, operational and service barriers and the negative impacts of road transport. Multimodal interventions could reduce CO2 emissions and other impacts, including air and noise pollution, and road congestion. Integrated sustainable solutions can act to improve traffic flow and logistics, and management of goods and tourism supply. Multimodal optimization of road-sea combined transport can be augmented to include air modal share on existing and new routes for sensitive freight with emphasis on yearlong operations. This paper adresses the need to improve and extend the availability of passenger routes to allow the potential for mixed cargo in the Adriatic with a case study in Italy-Greece transport. Such plans are hampered by the overlong (up to 15 hours) duration of air trips, which could reduce product quality within a few hours after harvest. Fast shipment and delivery of affordable fresh products, such as mozzarella and strawberries is essential, and would benefit from nonused passenger cargo. Fresh products could use available hold space, guaranteeing lower-than-conventional shipping time at affordable price. The new service would establish new shipping options for fresh products, empowering Italian and Greek local producers. The service will be enabled through an integrated ICT platform that was developed to offer user access (e.g. to information on departure time, load space availability, goods allowed for transportation), and facilitate creation of new market opportunities for fresh producers. The platform supports the identification of demand and supply (by creating accounts as seller or buyer) and the booking of transport. The platform end user (seller or buyer) can find the proper passenger carrier for shipping fresh products to the airport of origin. Platform design includes Operational (OR) and NonOperational (NOR) requirements. For assuring traceability and location information, static and dynamic RFID tags and portable RFID readers, as well as GPS devices and/or tracking smartphones and supporting infrastructure were included

Quantitative proteomic analysis of age-related subventricular zone proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease.

Aging is characterized by a progressive decline in the function of adult tissues which can lead to neurodegenerative disorders. However, little is known about the correlation between protein changes in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and neurodegenerative diseases with age. In the present study, neural stem cells (NSCs) were derived from the SVZ on postnatal 7 d, 1 m, and 12 m-old mice. With age, NSCs exhibited increased SA-β-gal activity and decreased proliferation and pool size in the SVZ zone, and were associated with elevated inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. Furthermore, quantitative proteomics and ingenuity pathway analysis were used to evaluate the significant age-related alterations in proteins and their functions. Some downregulated proteins such as DPYSL2, TPI1, ALDH, and UCHL1 were found to play critical roles in the neurological disease and PSMA1, PSMA3, PSMC2, PSMD11, and UCHL1 in protein homeostasis. Taken together, we have provided valuable insight into the cellular and molecular processes that underlie aging-associated declines in SVZ neurogenesis for the early detection of differences in gene expression and the potential risk of neurological disease, which is beneficial in the prevention of the diseases

The interface of syntax with pragmatics and prosody in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

In order to study problems of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with morphosyntax, we investigated twenty high-functioning Greek-speaking children (mean age:6;11) and twenty age- and language-matched typically developing children on environments that allow or forbid object clitics or their corresponding noun phrase. Children with ASD fell behind typically developing in comprehending and producing simple clitics and producing noun phrases in focus structures. The two groups performed similarly in comprehending and producing clitics in clitic left dislocation and in producing noun phrases in non-focus structures. We argue that children with ASD have difficulties at the interface of(morpho)syntax with pragmatics and prosody, namely, distinguishing a discourse prominent element, and considering intonation relevant for a particular interpretation that excludes clitics

Proteasome Nuclear Import Mediated by Arc3 Can Influence Efficient DNA Damage Repair and Mitosis in Schizosaccharomyces Pombe

Proteasomes must efficiently remove their substrates throughout the cells in a timely manner as many of these proteins can be toxic. This study shows that proteasomes can do so efficiently because they are highly mobile. Furthermore this study uncovers that proteasome mobility requires functional Arc3, a subunit of the Arp2/3 complex

Autophagy Impairment Induces Premature Senescence in Primary Human Fibroblasts

BACKGROUND:Recent studies have demonstrated that activation of autophagy increases the lifespan of organisms from yeast to flies. In contrast to the lifespan extension effect in lower organisms, it has been reported that overexpression of unc-51-like kinase 3 (ULK3), the mammalian homolog of autophagy-specific gene 1 (ATG1), induces premature senescence in human fibroblasts. Therefore, we assessed whether the activation of autophagy would genuinely induce premature senescence in human cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Depletion of ATG7, ATG12, or lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (Lamp2) by transfecting siRNA or infecting cells with a virus containing gene-specific shRNA resulted in a senescence-like state in two strains of primary human fibroblasts. Prematurely senescent cells induced by autophagy impairment exhibited the senescent phenotypes, similar to the replicatively senescent cells, such as increased senescence associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and accumulation of lipofuscin. In addition, expression levels of ribosomal protein S6 kinase1 (S6K1), p-S6K1, p-S6, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and beclin-1, ATG7, ATG12-ATG5 conjugate, and the sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62) monomer in the autophagy pathway were decreased in both the replicatively and the autophagy impairment-induced prematurely senescent cells. Furthermore, it was found that ROS scavenging by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and inhibition of p53 activation by pifithrin-α or knockdown of p53 using siRNA, respectively, delayed autophagy impairment-induced premature senescence and restored the expression levels of components in the mTOR and autophagy pathways. CONCLUSION:Taken together, we concluded that autophagy impairment induces premature senescence through a ROS- and p53-dependent manner in primary human fibroblasts

Corrigendum to "European contribution to the study of ROS:A summary of the findings and prospects for the future from the COST action BM1203 (EU-ROS)" [Redox Biol. 13 (2017) 94-162]

The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) provides an ideal framework to establish multi-disciplinary research networks. COST Action BM1203 (EU-ROS) represents a consortium of researchers from different disciplines who are dedicated to providing new insights and tools for better understanding redox biology and medicine and, in the long run, to finding new therapeutic strategies to target dysregulated redox processes in various diseases. This report highlights the major achievements of EU-ROS as well as research updates and new perspectives arising from its members. The EU-ROS consortium comprised more than 140 active members who worked together for four years on the topics briefly described below. The formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) is an established hallmark of our aerobic environment and metabolism but RONS also act as messengers via redox regulation of essential cellular processes. The fact that many diseases have been found to be associated with oxidative stress established the theory of oxidative stress as a trigger of diseases that can be corrected by antioxidant therapy. However, while experimental studies support this thesis, clinical studies still generate controversial results, due to complex pathophysiology of oxidative stress in humans. For future improvement of antioxidant therapy and better understanding of redox-associated disease progression detailed knowledge on the sources and targets of RONS formation and discrimination of their detrimental or beneficial roles is required. In order to advance this important area of biology and medicine, highly synergistic approaches combining a variety of diverse and contrasting disciplines are needed