Developmental constraints on learning artificial grammars with fixed, flexible and free word order

Human learning, although highly flexible and efficient, is constrained in ways that facilitate or impede the acquisition of certain systems of information. Some such constraints, active during infancy and childhood, have been proposed to account for the apparent ease with which typically developing children acquire language. In a series of experiments, we investigated the role of developmental constraints on learning artificial grammars with a distinction between shorter and relatively frequent words (‘function words,’ F-words) and longer and less frequent words (‘content words,’ C-words). We constructed 4 finite-state grammars, in which the order of F-words, relative to C-words, was either fixed (F-words always occupied the same positions in a string), flexible (every F-word always followed a C-word), or free. We exposed adults (N = 84) and kindergarten children (N = 100) to strings from each of these artificial grammars, and we assessed their ability to recognize strings with the same structure, but a different vocabulary. Adults were better at recognizing strings when regularities were available (i.e., fixed and flexible order grammars), while children were better at recognizing strings from the grammars consistent with the attested distribution of function and content words in natural languages (i.e., flexible and free order grammars). These results provide evidence for a link between developmental constraints on learning and linguistic typology

Constraints on Language Learning : behavioral and neurocognitive studies with adults and children

This thesis will contribute to a body of experimental work addressing the question of whether language learning plays a role in certain fundamental design properties of natural languages. Methodologically, this thesis seeks to extend the artificial language learning paradigm, investigating whether learners are sensitive to the constraints embodied by key properties of languages. For example, we will explore whether communicative pressure influences the final outcome of language learning, namely how the structures that are acquired by individuals are transmitted to downstream generations. We will also explore how basic language learning constraints operate in different age groups and, importantly, cross-linguistically. Next to the behavioral experiments focusing on learning and its outcomes, we will look at preliminary electrophysiological correlates of basic compositional processing in the early stages of learning a miniature artificial language using electroencephalography (EEG). In this general introduction I will briefly discuss some of the relevant concepts and methods which will be used in three studies that constitute this thesis

Strategies for Coping with Pain in Chronic Sciatica in Patients Treated in Neurological Outpatient Clinic

Introduction: Back pain is one of the most common causes of deterioration of the psychophysical condition in people. The pain becomes a source of stress for patients and that is why they activate strategies to cope with it. These are the behaviours that patients undertake independently in difficult situations. The aim of this paper was to learn strategies for coping with sciatic pain using the example of patients of the Neurological Outpatient Clinic. Materials and methods: The research was carried out by means of diagnostic survey. The research tools were as follows: own questionnaire, Coping with Pain Strategy questionnaire. The research was carried out among patients of the Outpatient Neurological Clinic BCO of the City Hospital named after John Paul II in Bielsko-Biała in the period from March to September 2017. Before the beginning of the study, the consent of the director of the BCO Municipal Hospital named after John Paul II in Bielsko-Biała was obtained to carry out the research. Findings: The strategies of coping with pain which the respondents chose most frequently were increased behavioural activity, declared coping and diverting attention, the patients were least likely to choose the catastrophizing strategy, re-evaluating pain and ignoring the sensations. Conclusions: Among the strategies for coping with pain in patients with sciatica, the behavioural strategy was dominant, i.e. increased behavioural activity, then the respondents chose the cognitive techniques: declared coping and diverting attention. The type of strategies implemented was influenced by: the time elapsed from the diagnosis of sciatica, the severity of pain and sex of the patient. Keywords: chronic sciatica, strategies for coping with pain, chronic disease

Diet of the grey wolf Canis lupus in Roztocze and Solska Forest, south-east Poland

The diet composition and prey selection of grey wolves (Canis lupus) inhabiting the Roztocze and Solska Forest (south-east Poland) was studied based on an analysis of scats collected in 2001-2002 (n = 84) and 2017-2020 (n = 302). In both periods, wolves preyed mainly on wild ungulates (96.5-96.7% of consumed biomass). Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was the most critical wolf prey accounting for 57.8% of consumed biomass in 2001-2002 and 49.2% and 2017-2020, but wolves positively select only wild boar (Jacob's selectivity index D = 0.213 in 2001-2002 and 0.710 in 2017-2020) and fallow deer (D = 0.588 only in 2017-2020). The largest species – moose Alces alces and red deer Cervus elaphus – were consumed less than expected from their share in the ungulate community. Predation on medium-sized wild mammals and domestic animals was low, 0.8-2.2% and 1.1-2.7% of the biomass consumed, respectively. The breadth of the wolf diet was very narrow and identical in both study periods (B = 1.07), while the similarity of diet composition was high (α = 0.999). This study indicated the stability of the wolf diet over two decades and the importance of wild boar as a food source for this carnivore

Combined QCD and electroweak analysis of HERA data

A simultaneous fit of parton distribution functions (PDFs) and electroweak parameters to HERA data on deep inelastic scattering is presented. The input data are the neutral current and charged current inclusive cross sections which were previously used in the QCD analysis leading to the HERAPDF2.0 PDFs. In addition, the polarisation of the electron beam was taken into account for the ZEUS data recorded between 2004 and 2007. Results on the vector and axial-vector couplings of the Z boson to u- and d-type quarks, on the value of the electroweak mixing angle and the mass of the W boson are presented. The values obtained for the electroweak parameters are in agreement with Standard Model predictions.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. D. Small corrections from proofing process and small change to Fig. 12 and Table

Limits on the effective quark radius from inclusive epep scattering at HERA

The high-precision HERA data allows searches up to TeV scales for Beyond the Standard Model contributions to electron-quark scattering. Combined measurements of the inclusive deep inelastic cross sections in neutral and charged current $ep$ scattering corresponding to a luminosity of around 1 fb$^{-1}$ have been used in this analysis. A new approach to the beyond the Standard Model analysis of the inclusive $ep$ data is presented; simultaneous fits of parton distribution functions together with contributions of "new physics" processes were performed. Results are presented considering a finite radius of quarks within the quark form-factor model. The resulting 95% C.L. upper limit on the effective quark radius is $0.43\cdot 10^{-16}$ cm.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett.

Search for a narrow baryonic state decaying to pKS0{pK^0_S} and pˉKS0{\bar{p}K^0_S} in deep inelastic scattering at HERA

A search for a narrow baryonic state in the $pK^0_S$ and $\bar{p}K^0_S$ system has been performed in $ep$ collisions at HERA with the ZEUS detector using an integrated luminosity of 358 pb$^{-1}$ taken in 2003-2007. The search was performed with deep inelastic scattering events at an $ep$ centre-of-mass energy of 318 GeV for exchanged photon virtuality, $Q^2$, between 20 and 100 $\rm{} GeV^{2}$. Contrary to evidence presented for such a state around 1.52 GeV in a previous ZEUS analysis using a sample of 121 pb$^{-1}$ taken in 1996-2000, no resonance peak was found in the $p(\bar{p})K^0_S$ invariant-mass distribution in the range 1.45-1.7 GeV. Upper limits on the production cross section are set.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Phys. Lett. B. Minor changes from journal reviewing process, including a small correction to figure

Measurement of the cross-section ratio sigma_{psi(2S)}/sigma_{J/psi(1S)} in deep inelastic exclusive ep scattering at HERA

The exclusive deep inelastic electroproduction of $\psi(2S)$ and $J/\psi(1S)$ at an $ep$ centre-of-mass energy of 317 GeV has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA in the kinematic range $2 < Q^2 < 80$ GeV$^2$, $30 < W < 210$ GeV and $|t| < 1$ GeV$^2$, where $Q^2$ is the photon virtuality, $W$ is the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy and $t$ is the squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex. The data for $2 < Q^2 < 5$ GeV$^2$ were taken in the HERA I running period and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 114 pb$^{-1}$. The data for $5 < Q^2 < 80$ GeV$^2$ are from both HERA I and HERA II periods and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 468 pb$^{-1}$. The decay modes analysed were $\mu^+\mu^-$ and $J/\psi(1S) \,\pi^+\pi^-$ for the $\psi(2S)$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$ for the $J/\psi(1S)$. The cross-section ratio $\sigma_{\psi(2S)}/\sigma_{J/\psi(1S)}$ has been measured as a function of $Q^2, W$ and $t$. The results are compared to predictions of QCD-inspired models of exclusive vector-meson production.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure

Measurement of neutral current e+/-p cross sections at high Bjorken x with the ZEUS detector

The neutral current e+/-p cross section has been measured up to values of Bjorken x of approximately 1 with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 187 inv. pb of e-p and 142 inv. pb of e+p collisions at sqrt(s) = 318GeV. Differential cross sections in x and Q2, the exchanged boson virtuality, are presented for Q2 geq 725GeV2. An improved reconstruction method and greatly increased amount of data allows a finer binning in the high-x region of the neutral current cross section and leads to a measurement with much improved precision compared to a similar earlier analysis. The measurements are compared to Standard Model expectations based on a variety of recent parton distribution functions.Comment: 39 pages, 9 figure