Single Pair Research Articles

A single pair of pharyngeal neurons functions as a commander to reject high salt in Drosophila melanogaster.

Salt (NaCl), is an essential nutrient for survival, while excessive salt can be detrimental. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, internal taste organs in the pharynx are critical gatekeepers impacting the decision to accept or reject a food. Currently, our understanding of the mechanism through which pharyngeal gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) sense high salt are rudimentary. Here, we found that a member of the ionotropic receptor family, Ir60b, is expressed exclusively in a pair of GRNs activated by high salt. Using a two-way choice assay (DrosoX) to measure ingestion volume, we demonstrate that IR60b and two co-receptors IR25a and IR76b are required to prevent high salt consumption. Mutants lacking external taste organs but retaining the internal taste organs in the pharynx exhibit much higher salt avoidance than flies with all taste organs but missing the three IRs. Our findings highlight the vital role for IRs in a pharyngeal GRN to control ingestion of high salt.

A Novel Modularization Method for Voltage Equalization of Ultracapacitor Bank Using Coupled Inductor

The voltage equalization of ultracapacitors (UCs) in a UC bank using coupled inductors is superior due to their advantages of simple control, fast energy transfer capabilities, etc. However, as the number of UCs connected in series or parallel in a UC bank increases, the number of windings on a single core required for balancing also increases. This causes severe mismatches between the inductance of the multiple winding in a single core, making the implementation more complex. Therefore, a novel modularization method is proposed in this paper for a matrix-connected UC bank. The proposed method achieves cell balancing, module balancing, and demagnetization with less number of components. Moreover, the proposed method uses a single pair of complementary pulse width modulation (PWM) signals with a 50% duty ratio for all switches. The energy is transferred from the higher voltage cell to the lower voltage cell simultaneously through the coupled inductors, which increases the balancing speed. The balancing performance of the proposed modularization is validated experimentally.

Symmetry broken vectorial Kerr frequency combs from Fabry-Pérot resonators

Spontaneous symmetry breaking of a pair of vector temporal cavity solitons has been established as a paradigm to modulate optical frequency combs, and finds many applications in metrology, frequency standards, communications, and photonic devices. While this phenomenon has successfully been observed in Kerr ring resonators, the counterpart exploiting linear Fabry-Pérot cavities is still unexplored. Here, we consider field polarization properties and describe a vector comb generation through the spontaneous symmetry breaking of temporal cavity solitons within coherently driven, passive, Fabry-Pérot cavities with Kerr nonlinearity. Global coupling effects due to the interactions of counter-propagating light restrict the maximum number of soliton pairs within the cavity - even down to a single soliton pair - and force long range polarization conformity in trains of vector solitons.

Application of SSR markers for assessment of genetic similarity and genotype identification in local winter wheat breeding program

Background. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are widely used for genetic analysis in plant breeding, allowing for the investigation of genetic divergence and similarity of genotypes, identification of unique alleles and determination of levels of genetic diversity. Materials and Methods. Analysis of 42 wheat cultivars and lines from the bree­ding program of Poltava State Agrarian University was carried out using 11 SSR mar­kers located on different chromosomes. A set of 11 microsatellite single locus primer pairs was used in this study (Xgwm 11, Xgwm 44, Xgwm 46, Xgwm 135, Xgwm 174, Xgwm 186, Xgwm 194, Xgwm 219, Xgwm 312, Xgwm 372, Xgwm 389). Amplification of 11 loci was performed using the Kapa2G FastHotStart PCR Kit (Kapa Biosystems, Boston, USA). The mixture for PCR amplification contained 1.5 x Kapa2G buffer, 0.5 mM dNTP mix, 0.5 μM of each primer (Sigma-Aldrich), 1 unit of Kapa2G FastHotStart DNA Polymerase and 11.8 ng of template DNA in a volume of 25 μl. Fragment lengths were determined using GeneMapper 4.0 software (Applied Biosystems). Dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average) in DarWin 6.0 software (Perrier and Jacquemoud-Collet 2006) for clustering analysis. Results and Discussion. The number of alleles detected per locus varied from 5 (Xgwm 11, Xgwm 135, Xgwm 219) to 12 (Xgwm 174). A total of 80 alleles were identified for the 11 loci studied. Among these, 25 unique alleles were found, each of which was present in only one genotype. The polimorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.48 to 0.87. The markers Xgwm 174 (PIC = 0.87), Xgwm 389 (PIC = 0.84) and Xgwm 372 (PIC = 0.83) were the most polymorphic in our study. We obtained a distribution of cultivars and lines by genetic similarity into five clusters. Conclusion. The use of SSR markers made it possible to identify rare alleles within the varieties presented. The study of the genetic similarity of the presented geno­types showed their relationship according to their origin. It was shown that unique alleles tended to occur in certain local breeding genotypes. This study has shown that genotypes representing the local Ukrainian breeding program often have the same allelic variants and at the same time some genotypes have unique allelic variants. The results obtained from the study of 42 winter wheat genotypes based on 11 SSR markers showed that molecular markers can be very useful in assessing genetic similarity and identifying genotypes in the local breeding program.

Efficient Throughput Maximization in Dynamic Rechargeable Networks

In the Dynamic Rechargeable Networks (DRNs), to maximize the throughput by efficient energy allocation, the existing studies usually consider the spatio-temporal dynamic factors of the harvested energy, and seldom the network dynamic factors simultaneously, such as the time variable network resources and wireless interference. To take the network dynamic factors together, this paper studies the quite challenging problem, the network throughput maximization in the DRNs. We introduce the Time-Expanded Graph (TEG) to describe the above dynamic factors in an obvious way and design the Single Pair Throughput maximization (SPT) algorithm based on TEG. In the case of multiple pairs of source-targets, this paper introduces the Garg and Könemann's framework and then designs the Multiple Pairs Throughput (MPT) algorithm to maximize the overall throughput of all pairs. To reduce the time complexity, this paper proposes a Distributed and Parallel Throughput algorithm (DPT). In real applications, the network dynamic factors may not be known in advance. This paper proposes an Online Time-Span Algorithm (OTA) with Markov approximation and Lyapunov optimization, and conducts the extensive numerical evaluation based on the simulated data and the data collected by our real system. The numerical simulation results demonstrate the throughput improvement of our algorithms.

Efficient LiDAR-Trajectory Affinity Model for Autonomous Vehicle Orchestration

Computation and memory resource management strategies are the backbone of continuous object tracking in intelligent vehicle orchestration. Multi-object tracking generates enormous measurements of targets and extended object positions using light detection and ranging (Lidar) sensors. Designing an adequate object-tracking system is a global challenge because of dynamic object detection and data association uncertainties during scene understanding. In this regard, we develop an intelligent multi-objective tracking (IMOT) system with a novel measurement model, called the box data association inflate (BDAI) model, to assess each target’s object state and trajectory without noise by using the Bayesian approach. The box object filter method filters ambiguous detection responses during data association. The theoretical proof of the box object filter is derived based on binomial expansion. Prognosticating a lower-dimension object than the original point object reduces the computational complexity of vehicle orchestration. Two datasets (NuScenes dataset and our lab dataset) are considered during the simulations, and our approach measures the kinematic states adequately with reduced computation complexity compared to state-of-the-art methods. The simulation outcomes show that our proposed method is effective and works well to detect and track objects. The NuScenes dataset contains 28130 samples for training, 6019 examples for validation and 6008 samples for testing. IMOT achieves 58.09% tracking accuracy and 71% mAP with 5 ms pre-processing time. The Jetson Xavier NX consumes 49.63% GPU and 9.37% average power and exhibits 25.32 ms latency compared to other approaches. Our system trains a single pair frame in 169.71 ms with affinity estimation time of 12.19 ms, track association time of 0.19 ms and mATE of 0.245 compared to state-of-the-art approaches

Morphology of the Male Reproductive System and Spermatozoa of Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål, 1854) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) with evidence of a spermatostyle in the sperm conjugation.

Changes in harvesting methods in the early 1990s led to Mahanarva fimbriolata becoming the most prevalent pest in sugarcane plantations. Encouraged by the scarcity of research on the reproductive system and spermatology of Auchenorrhyncha, we provide a detailed description of the male reproductive system and spermatozoa of this cercopid. This will not only aid in taxonomic purposes but also help in understanding the reproductive biology of the species. The male reproductive system, spermatozoa, and sperm bundles of M. fimbriolata were investigated using light microscopy. Our results reveal a reproductive system consisting of a pair of testes, each with 36 follicles, two vasa deferentia, two well-developed seminal vesicles, a single pair of accessory glands, and an ejaculatory duct. Here, we also describe and explore the particularities of the formation of secondary sperm bundles, where cells interestingly bind only to the apical region of the spermatostyle. We also propose some possible benefits of this unusual organization for the reproductive success of the species.

On the formation of dendritic iron from alkaline electrochemical reduction of iron oxide prepared for metal fuel applications

Low-temperature electrochemical reduction (electroreduction) of iron oxides is a promising alternative to the conventional methods for iron production due to its CO2-free operation and relatively low energy consumption. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach for electrochemical iron production by promoting the formation of dendritic structures during iron electrodeposition, which facilitates the easy harvesting of deposits in powder form. Experiments were conducted using a single pair of parallel plate electrodes, immersed in a mixture of hematite (Fe2O3) powder and aqueous alkaline (NaOH) slurry. The effects of current density, Fe2O3 mass fraction, temperature, and powder size on current efficiency and deposit morphology are investigated. A large quantity of dendritic iron structures is observed when experiments are carried out without stirring and/or applying heat from a heating plate. This condition suggests temperature and (ion/species) concentration gradients in the system. The dendrites are mainly deposited on the cathode's sides, corners, and edges. Different deposits and dendritic structures (compact layer deposit, moss-like deposit, deposit with whisker-like dendrites, and deposit with crystal-like dendrites) are observed as operating conditions change. Overall, a cathodic deposition of metallic iron with a high Faradaic efficiency (≥90 %) is successfully accomplished. The present findings provide new insights into the production of electrolytic iron powder and its future use as a carbon neutral and sustainable fuel/energy carrier.

Properties of the Top Quark

Recent measurements of the properties of the top quark at the CERN Large Hadron Collider are discussed. The results were measured for single and top quark pair production in their final states, including jets with either one or two leptons or only in hadronic final states. Top quark properties include angular correlations, top quark spin correlations, mass, and width. When looking towards the future, top quark properties open new and even interdisciplinary avenues for probing quantum information science.

Initial Steps of XY Sex Chromosome Differentiation in the Armored Catfish Hypostomus albopunctatus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Revealed by Heterochromatin Accumulation.

In fish species, heterochromatinization is one process that could trigger sex chromosome differentiation. The present article describes a nascent XX/XY sex chromosome system evidenced by heterochromatin accumulation and microsatellite (GATA)8 in Hypostomus albopunctatus from two populations of the Paraná River basin. The specimens of H. albopunctatus from the Campo and Bossi Rivers share the same karyotype. The species exhibits 74 chromosomes (8m+14sm +16st +36a, fundamental number = 112). The C-banding technique suggests male heterogamety in H. albopunctatus, where the Y-chromosome is morphologically like the X-chromosome but differs from it for having long arms that are entirely heterochromatic. Double fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 18S and 5S rDNA probes confirmed the Ag-nucleolus organizer region sites in a single pair for both populations, and minor rDNA clusters showed interpopulational variation. FISH with the microsatellite (GATA)8 probe showed a dispersed pattern in the karyotype, accumulating these sequences of sex chromosomes of both populations. FISH with microsatellite (CGC)10 probe showed interpopulational variation. The absence of differentiated sex chromosomes in H. albopunctatus is described previously, and a new variant is documented herein where XY chromosomes can be seen in an early stage of differentiation.

The Genetic Basis of Melanism in Abert's Squirrel (Sciurus aberti).

Melanism is widespread in different taxa and has been hypothesized to provide adaptive benefits in certain environments. Melanism is typically caused by mutations in one of two regulatory genes: the Melanocortin 1 Receptor (MC1R) or the Agouti Signaling Protein (ASIP). Melanism has repeatedly evolved among tree squirrels and their relatives (tribe Sciurini) in at least 12 different species based on our review of the literature. The causal mutations for melanism have been characterized in two species so far. This study examines Abert's Squirrel (Sciurus aberti), which has a melanistic morph whose genetic basis has not yet been established. We sequenced the MC1R and ASIP genes for five wild-type and seven melanistic S. aberti individuals to search for melanism-associated mutations. A novel single base pair mutation in the ASIP gene, unique to S. aberti, was found to be associated with melanism in the species, indicating that melanism in S. aberti evolved independently from other tree squirrels and thus represents an example of convergent evolution. The independent evolution of melanism in this species suggests that there is an adaptive advantage to the melanistic phenotype. The geographic range and habitat of S. aberti suggest possible benefits associated with thermoregulation, post-forest-fire camouflage, or other untested hypotheses.

Using double pulse laser ablation in air to enhance the strength of laser-driven shocks

In the process of multi-pulse laser ablation, inter-pulse delay time, Δt, is known to be an important parameter for maximizing ablation efficiency as well as impulse imparted to the target. In this work, using photon Doppler velocimetry, we show that for single pairs of colinear pulses (1064 nm, 8 ns, ∼ 60 J cm-2 per pulse) in air, the peak free surface velocity of the back surface of an aluminum target (125 µm thick) is increased, by a factor of nearly 3, when Δt = 10 microseconds, compared with both pulses arriving simultaneously (Δt = 0). Fast imaging of the ablation process suggests this enhancement is due to rarefaction of the contiguous air in the passage of the leading shock produced by ablation, which then in turn allows a larger fraction of the energy of the second pulse to reach the target surface. This interpretation is strengthened by additional experiments in which the two pulses do not overlap on the target surface, but the shock strength is nevertheless enhanced. Given a fixed energy budget this work suggests a prescription for maximizing laser-driven shock strength by judicious choice of inter-pulse delay.

Identification of the efficacy of parentage testing based on bi-allelic autosomal single nucleotide polymorphism markers in Taiwanese population.

Parentage testing is crucial for forensic DNA analysis, using short tandem repeats (STRs). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with high minor allele frequency (MAF) are promising for human identification. This study aimed to develop SNP markers for parentage testing in the Taiwanese population and compare their accuracy with STRs. The TPMv1 SNP microarray (714,457 SNPs) was used to screen 180,000 Taiwanese individuals and analyze the SNP data using PLINK. After quality control, allelic distribution, and MAF considerations, a set of SNPs with significant inheritance information was selected. Parentage testing was conducted on 355 single parent-child pairs using both STRs and SNPs, employing three kinship algorithms: identity by descent, kinship-based inference for genome-wide association studies, and the combined paternity index/probability of paternity (CPI/PP). An Affymetrix signature probe for kinship testing (ASP) was also used. Based on the quality control and selection criteria, 176 SNPs with MAF > 0.4995 were selected from the Taiwanese population. The CPI/PP results calculated using SNPs were consistent with the STR results. The accuracy of the SNPs used in the single-parent-child parentage testing was > 99.99%. The set of 176 SNPs had a higher identification rate in the single parent-child parentage test than in the ASP. The CPI/PP value calculated using 176 SNPs was also more accurate than that calculated using ASP. Our findings suggest that these 176 SNPs could be used for single-parent-child parentage identification in the Taiwanese population.

Quantitative probability estimation of light-induced inactivation of SARS-CoV-2

During the COVID pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, studies have shown the efficiency of deactivating this virus via ultraviolet light. The damage mechanism is well understood: UV light disturbs the integrity of the RNA chain at those locations where specific nucleotide neighbors occur. In this contribution, we present a model to address certain gaps in the description of the interaction between UV photons and the RNA sequence for virus inactivation. We begin by exploiting the available information on the pathogen’s morphology, physical, and genomic characteristics, enabling us to estimate the average number of UV photons required to photochemically damage the virus’s RNA. To generalize our results, we have numerically generated random RNA sequences and checked that the distribution of pairs of nucleotides susceptible of damage for the SARS-CoV-2 is within the expected values for a random-generated RNA chain. After determining the average number of photons reaching the RNA for a preset level of fluence (or photon density), we applied the binomial probability distribution to evaluate the damage of nucleotide pairs in the RNA chain due to UV radiation. Our results describe this interaction in terms of the probability of damaging a single pair of nucleotides, and the number of available photons. The cumulative probability exhibits a steep sigmoidal shape, implying that a relatively small change in the number of affected pairs may trigger the inactivation of the virus. Our light-RNA interaction model quantitatively describes how the fraction of affected pairs of nucleotides in the RNA sequence depends on the probability of damaging a single pair and the number of photons impinging on it. A better understanding of the underlying inactivation mechanism would help in the design of optimum experiments and UV sanitization methods. Although this paper focuses on SARS-CoV-2, these results can be adapted for any other type of pathogen susceptible of UV damage.

Pediatric ECG-Based Deep Learning to Predict Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Remodeling.

Artificial intelligence-enhanced ECG analysis shows promise to detect ventricular dysfunction and remodeling in adult populations. However, its application to pediatric populations remains underexplored. A convolutional neural network was trained on paired ECG-echocardiograms (≤2 days apart) from patients ≤18 years of age without major congenital heart disease to detect human expert-classified greater than mild left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, hypertrophy, and dilation (individually and as a composite outcome). Model performance was evaluated on single ECG-echocardiogram pairs per patient at Boston Children's Hospital and externally at Mount Sinai Hospital using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC). The training cohort comprised 92 377 ECG-echocardiogram pairs (46 261 patients; median age, 8.2 years). Test groups included internal testing (12 631 patients; median age, 8.8 years; 4.6% composite outcomes), emergency department (2830 patients; median age, 7.7 years; 10.0% composite outcomes), and external validation (5088 patients; median age, 4.3 years; 6.1% composite outcomes) cohorts. Model performance was similar on internal test and emergency department cohorts, with model predictions of LV hypertrophy outperforming the pediatric cardiologist expert benchmark. Adding age and sex to the model added no benefit to model performance. When using quantitative outcome cutoffs, model performance was similar between internal testing (composite outcome: AUROC, 0.88, AUPRC, 0.43; LV dysfunction: AUROC, 0.92, AUPRC, 0.23; LV hypertrophy: AUROC, 0.88, AUPRC, 0.28; LV dilation: AUROC, 0.91, AUPRC, 0.47) and external validation (composite outcome: AUROC, 0.86, AUPRC, 0.39; LV dysfunction: AUROC, 0.94, AUPRC, 0.32; LV hypertrophy: AUROC, 0.84, AUPRC, 0.25; LV dilation: AUROC, 0.87, AUPRC, 0.33), with composite outcome negative predictive values of 99.0% and 99.2%, respectively. Saliency mapping highlighted ECG components that influenced model predictions (precordial QRS complexes for all outcomes; T waves for LV dysfunction). High-risk ECG features include lateral T-wave inversion (LV dysfunction), deep S waves in V1 and V2 and tall R waves in V6 (LV hypertrophy), and tall R waves in V4 through V6 (LV dilation). This externally validated algorithm shows promise to inexpensively screen for LV dysfunction and remodeling in children, which may facilitate improved access to care by democratizing the expertise of pediatric cardiologists.

A Physical Model-Based Approach to One-Point Calibration of Pulse Transit Time to Blood Pressure.

To develop a novel physical model-based approach to enable 1-point calibration of pulse transit time (PTT) to blood pressure (BP). The proposed PTT-BP calibration model is derived by combining the Bramwell-Hill equation and a phenomenological model of the arterial compliance (AC) curve. By imposing a physiologically plausible constraint on the skewness of AC at positive and negative transmural pressures, the number of tunable parameters in the PTT-BP calibration model reduces to 1. Hence, as opposed to most existing PTT-BP calibration models requiring multiple (≥2) PTT-BP measurements to personalize, the PTT-BP calibration model can be personalized to an individual subject using a single PTT-BP measurement pair. Equipped with the physically relevant PTT-AC and AC-BP relationships, the proposed approach may serve as a universal means to calibrate PTT to BP over a wide BP range. The validity and proof-of-concept of the proposed approach were evaluated using PTT and BP measurements collected from 22 healthy young volunteers undergoing large BP changes. The proposed approach modestly yet significantly outperformed an empiric linear PTT-BP calibration with a group-average slope and subject-specific intercept in terms of bias (5.5 mmHg vs 6.4 mmHg), precision (8.4 mmHg vs 9.4 mmHg), mean absolute error (7.8 mmHg vs 8.8 mmHg), and root-mean-squared error (8.7 mmHg vs 10.3 mmHg, all in the case of diastolic BP). We demonstrated the preliminary proof-of-concept of an innovative physical model-based approach to one-point PTT-BP calibration. The proposed physical model-based approach has the potential to enable more accurate and convenient calibration of PTT to BP.

Unconsidered but influencing interference in unmanned aerial vehicle cabling system

The increasing complexity of electrical and electronic systems in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has raised concerns regarding unwanted electromagnetic interference (EMI) due to limited compartment space. Recent studies have highlighted the UAV cabling as the primary pathway for interference. This paper presents a novel approach to investigating the effects of interference power, polarization angle, and distance from the interference source on EMI in UAV cable systems. Measurements and simulations were performed to analyze the influence of these factors on the radiation received by the cable. A linear dipole antenna, operating at a frequency of 905 MHz, served as the radiation source, while a single wire cable pair terminated with a 50-ohm resistor was employed as the victim. The findings reveal that the power transmitted by the source, the distance between the cable and the source, and the polarization angle have a significant impact on the electromagnetic interference received by the cable. Notably, a perpendicular orientation of the cable to the interference source (antenna) in the far-field yielded a reduction of up to 15 dBm in EMI. The results underscore the necessity for more sophisticated models and comprehensive measurements to fully comprehend the diverse factors affecting polarization losses in practical scenarios.

Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon-Based Heterogeneous Catalysts for Energy Release of Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage Materials.

Molecular solar thermal energy storage (MOST) systems are rapidly becoming a feasible alternative to energy storage and net-zero carbon emission heating. MOST systems involve a single photoisomerization pair that incorporates light absorption, storage, and heat release processes in one recurring cycle. Despite significant recent advancements in the field, the catalytic back-reaction from MOST systems remains relatively unexplored. A wide range of applications is possible, contingent on the energy densities of the specific photoisomers. Here, we report platinum-, copper-, and nickel-based heterogeneous catalysts screened in batch conditions for the back-conversion reaction on the cyano-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-norbornadiene/quadricyclane pair. Catalyst reactivities are investigated using structural characterization, imaging techniques, and spectroscopic analysis. Finally, the thermal stability is also explored for our best-performing catalysts.

Abstract TP235: The Association Between Asthma and the Risk of Ischemic Stroke: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Background: Several studies suggest that asthma may elevate the risk of ischemic stroke. However, the genetic connection between the two conditions hasn't been clarified. Methods: We used the genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from Biobank Japan (BBJ) to identify SNPs related to both diseases and further examined atrial fibrillation, a condition linked to asthma and a recognized risk factor for ischemic stroke. We employed two-sample Mendelian randomization in our study. Results: We included 8,216 cases of asthma and 201,592 controls, 8,180 cases of atrial fibrillation and 28,612 controls, and 17,671 cases of ischemic stroke with 192,383 controls. In the Mendelian randomization analysis between asthma and atrial fibrillation, 9 single nucleotide pairs (SNPs) showed significant associations. For the relationship between asthma and ischemic stroke, 12 SNPs for all sexes, 3 SNPs for males, and 7 SNPs for females were found and included in the MR analysis to investigate the causal relationship between asthma and atrial fibrillation, asthma, and ischemic stroke in all population, asthma and ischemic stroke in male/female. Asthma raises the risk for atrial fibrillation (OR [95% CI]; 1.15 [1.01-1.30]). However, there wasn't a significant genetic association between asthma and ischemic stroke overall (0.98 [0.91-1.07]). Furthermore, no significant link was found between asthma and ischemic stroke in females (1.01 [0.89-1.15]), but a reduced risk of ischemic stroke was noticed in males (0.89 [0.91-0.98]). Conclusion: While asthma does increase the risk for atrial fibrillation, it doesn't show a genetic association with ischemic stroke in this study.

Conversion in languages with different morphological structures: a semantic comparison of English and Czech

This article presents a comparative study of the semantics of conversion between verbs and nouns in two languages with different morphological structures – English and Czech. To make the cross-linguistic comparison of semantic relations possible, a cognitive approach is used to provide conceptual semantic categories applicable within both languages. The semantic categories, based on event schemata introduced by Radden and Dirven (2007) primarily for syntactic description, are applied to data samples of verb–noun conversion pairs in both languages, using a dictionary-based approach. We analyse a corpus sample of 300 conversion pairs of verbs and nouns in each language (e.g., run.v – run.n, pepper.n – pepper.v; běhat ‘run.v’– běh ‘run.n’, pepř ‘pepper.n’ – pepřit ‘pepper.v’) annotated for the semantic relation between the verb and the noun. We analyse which relations appear in the two languages and how often, looking for sizeable differences to answer the question of whether the morphological characteristics of a language influence the semantics of conversion. The analysis of the annotated samples documents that the languages most often employ conversion for the same concepts (namely, instance of action/process and result) and that the range of semantic categories in English and Czech is generally the same, suggesting that the differences in the morphology of the two languages do not affect the range of possible meanings that conversion is employed for. The data also show a difference in the number of types of combinations of multiple semantic relations between the verb and the noun in a single conversion pair, which was found to be larger in English than in Czech, and also in the frequency with which certain individual semantic relations occur, and these differences seem to be at least partially related to the morphological characteristics of Czech and English.